Govt must ban vapes to avoid burdening public healthcare system, says Segamat MP

The Star

2 days ago

JOHOR BARU: Firm action has to be taken by the government to completely ban vape usage, distribution and sale to avoid heavily burdening the public healthcare system, says a Johor lawmaker.
Segamat MP R. Yuneswaran highlighted the economic burden on the healthcare system, where the treatment for a single Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (Evali) patient could cost up to RM150,000.
'Without effective controls, treatment costs for vape-related diseases could rise to RM369mil annually by 2030, nearly matching the government's projected vape tax revenue of RM500mil per year.
'This shows any economic benefit from the vape industry does not justify the healthcare costs,' he said in a statement Tuesday (June 3).
He pointed out that several state governments such as Johor, Kedah and Terengganu have stopped renewing business licences for vape sales, effectively banning the product in their jurisdictions.
Yuneswaran also criticised the federal government's move in 2023 to exempt vape nicotine liquids from the Poisons Act 1952, which allowed the unregulated sale of vape products.
'This has caused the vape market to grow rapidly, making it even harder to control, especially among youths,' he said.
He also lamented the removal of the Generational End Game (GEG) clause from the recently passed Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2023. The clause would have banned the sale of nicotine products to anyone born after 2007.
'That was a missed opportunity because without GEG and comprehensive controls, efforts to curb nicotine addiction among youths will be even more difficult,' he said.
On Monday (June 2), the Health Ministry issued a statement saying that e-cigarette liquids can be legally sold in Malaysia, but they are subject to strict regulations aimed at protecting public health.
The ministry was reportedly responding to recent media reports about a company that had been granted an interim manufacturing licence to produce e-cigarette devices using nicotine-infused liquids or gels.
The ministry said decisions related to the importation, manufacturing and distribution of such liquids are 'collectively made by various government agencies'.
It clarified that the issuance of manufacturing licences falls under the purview of the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry via the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, as provided for under the Industrial Coordination Act.