Ban vape sales nationwide, says Segamat MP
KUALA LUMPUR: A member of parliament has called on the government to impose a total ban on the sale and distribution of electronic cigarettes or vape products, citing the escalating threat they pose to public health, especially among youths.
Segamat MP R. Yuneswaran said the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes among teenagers poses a significant threat to their well-being, with data showing that 14.9 per cent of adolescents aged 13 to 17 were vaping in 2022, up from 9.8 per cent in 2017.
"This sharp increase reflects a disturbing rise in nicotine addiction among the younger generation and has serious implications for their physical and mental health," he said in a statement today.
He cited medical studies showing that the nicotine content in vape liquids can impair brain development, memory and focus in teenagers, while also increasing the risk of anxiety, depression and future substance abuse.
Yuneswaran also highlighted several vape-related health incidents, including a 16-year-old girl who died of acute heart failure linked to EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury), and a two-year-old child who suffered long-term neurological complications after ingesting vape liquid.
As of mid-June 2023, the Health Ministry had reported 17 cases of EVALI nationwide.
Yuneswaran also did not agree with the government's decision to exempt nicotine vape liquids from the Poisons Act, allowing them to be sold freely, and said the removal of the Generational End Game (GEG) clause from recent legislation was a missed opportunity to protect future generations.
"The cost of treating vape-related illnesses could reach RM369 million annually by 2030, nearly offsetting the projected vape tax revenue of RM500 million.
"This highlights the unsustainable burden on our public health system," he said.
Several states, including Johor, Kedah and Terengganu, have already taken steps to prohibit vape sales by refusing to renew business licences for vape retailers.
"These efforts must be extended nationwide. The government must act decisively.
"Short-term tax gains should never outweigh long-term health consequences," Yuneswaran said.
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