Malaysia's Vape Policy Putting Public Health At Risk
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today urged Malaysian authorities to reject counterproductive bans on vaping and adopt risk-proportionate regulations, citing the World Health Organization's (WHO) persistent neglect of harm reduction strategies as a key driver of preventable smoking-related deaths.
The call comes as Malaysia faces pressure to tighten vaping controls under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), with state-level bans and stricter nicotine limits threatening progress. CAPHRA warns such measures risk replicating failed prohibition in Bhutan and South Africa, where bans fuelled illicit markets and health risks.
Professor Dr. Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh emphasised: 'Enforcing stricter controls on high-risk products over safer alternatives is better than outright bans. Malaysia must differentiate between combustible cigarettes and harm reduction tools.'
Echoing this, Samsul Arrifin Kamal of MOVE Malaysia stated: 'We firmly believe that an outright ban on vape products is counterproductive and could lead to unintended consequences, including the proliferation of black market activities. The solution lies in implementing stricter controls, risk proportionate regulations and robust enforcement mechanisms. By establishing clear guidelines for the production, sale and use of vape products, we can ensure consumer safety.'
CAPHRA criticised the WHO's outdated stance, which ignores vaping's role in smoking cessation. Despite Malaysia's illicit tobacco trade dominating 55.3% of the market in 2023, WHO projects smoking rates will rise to 30% by 2025-contrasting sharply with Sweden's 5% rate achieved through harm reduction.
'The WHO's anti-harm reduction dogma costs lives,' said Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA Executive Coordinator. 'Malaysia must choose: follow failed prohibition or evidence. Sweden's success proves science trumps ideology.'
While Act 852 introduced nicotine caps and health warnings, proposals to ban vaping in states like Selangor and Johor risk fragmenting policy. CAPHRA urges federal-state harmonisation to avoid undermining progress.
With 68% of Malaysian ex-smokers crediting vaping for quitting combustibles, CAPHRA calls for expanding regulated access while pressuring the WHO to revise its stance. 'Malaysia can lead ASEAN by prioritising 5 million smokers' health over outdated rhetoric,' Loucas concluded.
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