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New Straits Times
31-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Vape industry urges consultation over proposed 'pro-health' taxes
GEORGE TOWN: The vape industry has expressed surprise at Putrajaya's move to expand "pro-health" taxes to include tobacco, vape, and alcohol products, announced as a measure to curb the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (Mreca) president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas said that currently, both vape devices and e-liquid products are already subject to excise duty. He said that e-liquids with nicotine have been taxed at 40 sen per ml since May 1, 2023, while devices are subject to a 10 per cent ad valorem excise duty since Jan 1, 2021. Adzwan said the industry would seek clarification from the authorities on what today's announcement means. "Does this mean there will be new taxes on vape products?" he told the New Straits Times when asked to comment on the matter. Adzwan urged the government to hold consultation and discussion sessions with industry players before any policy decisions are made. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), said Putrajaya would expand "pro-health" taxes beyond sugar to include products such as tobacco, vape, and alcohol. He said that these taxes are not merely for revenue generation but to drive behavioural change and curb the worrying rise in NCDs, adding that the government must be firm in addressing health risks.
Focus Malaysia
30-07-2025
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
MRECA: Retailers call for engagement, not prohibition, on vape regulation
THE Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) has expressed deep concern over the reported consideration of a nationwide ban on vape product sales, saying banning the legal sales of vape products would not resolve the issue as it would instead push users to the black market. The body representing retailers in the vape industry stressed that retailers who operate within the legal framework are not the cause of the problem but yet, under a ban, it is these legitimate businesses that would be hit the hardest. 'We urge the government to recognise that banning legal sales will not solve misuse; it will simply dismantle the regulated retail ecosystem and create space for illegal, uncontrolled trade to flourish,' said its president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas. 'Many of our members have invested heavily in compliance, store upgrades, and training in line with new regulatory requirements under Act 852. 'To now threaten the survival of these businesses without addressing the root cause of misuse would be a devastating setback for thousands of entrepreneurs and workers.' Emphasising the group's support for regulations but not prohibition, Adzwan further noted the clear distinction between misuse driven by illegal players and the efforts of licenced retailers who are committed to safe, responsible sales. 'If the concern is misuse, then the real issue lies in poor enforcement, not the existence of legal vape retailers,' he stressed, adding that misuse occurs when illegal sellers are allowed to operate freely without consequence. As such, the government must prioritise strengthening enforcement mechanisms, including stricter monitoring of online sales, proactive raids on unlicensed outlets, and harsher penalties for those who flout the law. 'Blanket bans will only hurt those who are playing by the rule, while doing nothing to disrupt the illegal market that continues to profit without oversight,' Adzwan continued. 'We note the formation of the government's expert committee and support a thorough policy review. However, retailers must be part of this conversation. We are on the front lines. 'We see the trends. We know the gaps in enforcement, and we understand what responsible retailing looks like. Excluding us from the policymaking process will only lead to ineffective outcomes.' Adzwan went on to call for Putrajaya to engage directly with the legal industry to develop practical and effective solutions to prevent misuse. 'Only through stronger enforcement and stakeholder collaboration can we build a regulated market that protects consumers and curbs misuse, without destroying the livelihoods of thousands of retailers,' he noted. 'A collaborative approach will allow us to strengthen regulations, improve compliance, and protect public health without dismantling a legitimate and growing sector of the economy.' On Monday (July 28) Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that Putrajaya is considering a nationwide ban on the use ans sale of e-cigarettes or vapes. Speaking at a press conference in Parliament, Dr Dzulkefly said a special committee from the Health Ministry will propose the ban to address the abuse of electronic cigarettes which will come in the form of a proposal where the ministry will bring this agenda to ban vapes. ‒ July 30, 2025 Main image: 2Firsts
Daily Express
26-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
No drugs in ‘halal' vapes, says group
Published on: Monday, May 26, 2025 Published on: Mon, May 26, 2025 By: Faiz Zainudin, FMT Text Size: Malaysian Retail Electronic Cigarette Association president Adzwan Manas said the decision by several states to ban the sale of vapes is misguided and potentially counterproductive. PETALING JAYA: Vape retailers are calling on the government to focus on the abuse of unregistered vape products not regulated by the health ministry, which they say is the real issue affecting the sector, rather than the legal sale of vape products. Malaysian Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) president Adzwan Manas said the decision by several states to ban the sale of vape was misguided and potentially counterproductive as it could lead to a surge in illegal products entering the black market. 'The ban is unjustified because vape products sold at licensed premises do not contain drugs. Drug-laced products are not available at registered vape shops – they're found on the black market,' Adzwan told FMT. 'The issue of drug abuse stems from unregulated vape products, not those monitored by the health ministry. People with drug-laced vapes are getting them from the black market.' Deputy inspector-general of police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said last month that 65% of vape samples tested contained banned substances, including methamphetamine and ecstasy. He said that state governments had the right to ban vape sales, citing a growing trend of vape being misused to deliver new synthetic drugs. Advertisement He also urged all parties to work together to combat the issue, saying vape devices could be easily modified to include harmful substances. Johor and Kelantan have banned vape sales since 2016 and 2015 respectively. Terengganu and Perlis will enforce similar bans starting Aug 1, while Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, and Melaka are still reviewing the proposal. Kedah has decided against a full ban but will no longer renew vape business licences after December. Adzwan said that banning the legal sale of vape products was not the right solution to the underlying problem, arguing that education, enforcement, and collaboration would be more effective. 'MRECA has reported the open sale of drugs on online platforms to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, but such advertisements continue to flourish. 'Regulation would be much easier if the authorities had data on all retailers. If there's credible evidence of sales to minors or other violations, licences can then be revoked,' he said. Adzwan also urged state governments to reconsider their bans, which he said went against the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024. He said the act was intended to establish a comprehensive and effective regulatory framework for vape products, not to enforce a blanket ban. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
20-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Vape traders urge states to reconsider sales ban
KUALA LUMPUR: Vape traders in the country are appealing to state governments to reconsider the ban on the sale of these products. The Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) president, Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas, said that the ban on vape sales is inconsistent with the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852). Adzwan said this is because the Act aims to introduce comprehensive and effective regulation of vaping, not an outright ban. "A ban on selling vape products is not the best method to prevent use among underage groups, including women. "Instead, the implementation of strict regulations, as outlined by the government, is more practical and responsible, he said. Adzwan's appeal comes amid announcements by some states, such as Kedah, that they will not renew business licences for vape or electronic cigarette retailers as part of a policy aimed at tackling the growing threat of synthetic drug abuse. Recently, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay revealed that students as young as 13 have been caught using such "contaminated" vape products. About 65 per cent of vape products are found to contain methamphetamine and ecstasy, he said. Methamphetamine and ecstasy are both powerful psychoactive drugs. Adzwan, howeer, said that vape products containing synthetic drugs are not sold at registered vape shops, but rather sourced through the black market. Therefore, it is unreasonable for vape shops to be prohibited from selling by local authorities, he said.
