Latest news with #Evali
The Star
2 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Stalwart's call to defend future generations
PETALING JAYA: The fight against tobacco is not just about eliminating a habit; it's about safeguarding our future generations, says NV Subbarow (pic), a stalwart of Malaysia's anti-smoking movement. As an education officer with the Consumers Association of Penang, Subbarow has spent nearly 35 years championing tobacco control, recently earning the prestigious Tobacco Control Icon Award from the Health Ministry during the 2025 National Tobacco Control Conference and the national-level World No Tobacco Day celebration. His work, which involves conducting lectures, interactive sessions, and discussions with students to highlight the dangers of smoking and vaping, has had a tangible impact that has seen many young Malaysians abandon these harmful habits. Subbarow's journey began with a focus on traditional cigarettes, but as the landscape of tobacco use evolved, so did his strategies. 'When I started, it was just cigarettes. Now, the rise of disposable vapes presents a new challenge. 'These devices, often marketed in enticing flavours and easily accessible, have become a simple and inexpensive alternative for many, particularly the youth,' he said, adding that his interactions revealed a concerning trend. 'Children as young as eight or nine have been experimenting with vapes left unattended by family members. 'It's shocking when children say they were encouraged to try these gadgets under the guise of fruit flavours,' he said, highlighting a disturbing trend of rural vapers mixing substances like drugs and stimulants with the vaporiser's liquid. To achieve both educational and cautionary results, Subbarow said he uses vivid imagery of nicotine's effects and the dangers of e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (Evali) to drive home the risks. 'Seeing these images often frightens students into quitting immediately,' he said, adding that the fear of having erectile dysfunction also works among older male students. As Subbarow looks to the future, his resolve is unshaken. Subbarow draws inspiration from figures such as the late SM Mohd Idris, the former president of CAP, and Dr Mary Assunta, an internationally renowned tobacco control researcher, whose legacies fuel his unwavering determination. 'Winning the award doesn't stop my campaign. I've got five more school programmes lined up after the holidays. 'I won't give up until Malaysia is smoke-free,' he said, adding that 20 students are currently seeking his guidance to quit vaping. So far, he has reached about 30,000 individuals, including students, undergraduates, and youths from various backgrounds. Teachers and parents have called him to convey their gratitude, sharing stories of how their children have abandoned the smoking culture. Subbarow also called for stronger policies, including the Generational Endgame Bill aimed at a tobacco-free society by 2040. 'Without action, the vape culture will lead to more drug addicts in our country. 'The Malaysian government cannot wait further to implement a total ban on smoking and vaping products, whether they come with flavours or otherwise. 'State governments that delay action are sitting on a ticking time bomb, creating a critical issue,' he said.
The Star
7 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Govt must ban vapes to avoid burdening public healthcare system, says Segamat MP
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.
Free Malaysia Today
17-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Ban sale of vapes nationwide, doctors urge govt
The Malaysian Medical Association lauded the state governments of Johor, Terengganu, Kelantan and Perlis for acting decisively in banning the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes. PETALING JAYA : The Malaysian Medical Association has urged the government to impose a nationwide ban on the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes, commending four states for implementing prohibitions on their own. MMA president Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira said the harmful effects and high healthcare costs associated with treating conditions like e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (Evali) were well documented. He said the health ministry had reported 41 Evali cases from 2019 to 2024 and that it had cost the government RM150,000 to treat each patient. 'MMA strongly believes that a comprehensive national ban is the only viable course of action to safeguard public health. 'Public health must take precedence over profit, and we cannot allow these harmful products to jeopardise the wellbeing of future generations. 'While a federal ban on vape products may require legislative amendments, this should not delay urgent action,' he said in a statement. Kalwinder also cited the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2023, which found that e-cigarette users had increased exponentially by 600% over the past 12 years, with the prevalence among those aged 15 to 25 also rising from 1.1% to 8.6% in that period. Expressing concern over the use of vapes among the youth, he said it was unsurprising for children to get hooked on the products given their attractive flavours and packaging. 'Close to 20,000 cases of students vaping in schools were reported in the country last year. This is despite the age restriction on the sale of vaping and e-cigarette products. 'We are also deeply concerned over reports of students as young as 13 caught using vapes containing substances mixed with drugs.' The Perlis government announced on Wednesday that it would ban the sale of vapes from Aug 1, joining Johor, Kelantan and Terengganu in imposing a full ban on vape sales. Terengganu's ban will be enforced from Aug 1, while Johor and Kelantan have banned the sale of these products since 2016 and 2015, respectively. Kedah has decided not to impose an outright ban but to stop allowing the renewal of business permits for vape traders once their licences expire. Kalwinder lauded the state governments of Johor, Terengganu, Kelantan and Perlis for taking 'decisive action' for the sake of public health.
Daily Express
17-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Express
Doctors urge nationwide ban on the sale of vapes
Published on: Saturday, May 17, 2025 Published on: Sat, May 17, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2023, which found that e-cigarette users had increased exponentially by 600pc over the past 12 years, with the prevalence among those aged 15 to 25 also rising from 1.1pc to 8.6pc in that period. PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) urged the Government to impose a nationwide ban on the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes, commending four states for implementing prohibitions on their own. MMA President Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira said the harmful effects and high healthcare costs associated with treating conditions like e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (Evali) were well documented. Advertisement He said the Health Ministry had reported 41 Evali cases from 2019 to 2024 and that it had cost the Government RM150,000 to treat each patient. 'MMA strongly believes that a comprehensive national ban is the only viable course of action to safeguard public health. 'Public health must take precedence over profit, and we cannot allow these harmful products to jeopardise the wellbeing of future generations. 'While a federal ban on vape products may require legislative amendments, this should not delay urgent action,' he said in a statement. Advertisement Kalwinder also cited the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2023, which found that e-cigarette users had increased exponentially by 600pc over the past 12 years, with the prevalence among those aged 15 to 25 also rising from 1.1pc to 8.6pc in that period. Expressing concern over the use of vapes among the youths, he said it was unsurprising for children to get hooked on the products given their attractive flavours and packaging. 'Close to 20,000 cases of students vaping in schools were reported in the country last year. This is despite the age restriction on the sale of vaping and e-cigarette products. 'We are also deeply concerned over reports of students as young as 13 caught using vapes containing substances mixed with drugs.' The Perlis government announced on Wednesday that it would ban the sale of vapes from Aug 1, joining Johor, Kelantan and Terengganu in imposing a full ban on vape sales. Terengganu's ban will be enforced from Aug 1, while Johor and Kelantan have banned the sale of these products since 2016 and 2015, respectively. Kedah has decided not to impose an outright ban but to stop allowing the renewal of business permits for vape traders once their licences expire. Kalwinder lauded the state governments of Johor, Terengganu, Kelantan and Perlis for taking 'decisive action' for the sake of public health. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * 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
The Star
16-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
MMA calls for nationwide ban on vaping, e-cigarettes
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for a total ban on vaping and e-cigarette products to safeguard public health. 'We strongly urge the federal government to implement a nationwide ban on the sale of vaping and e-cigarette products. 'Public health must take precedence over profit, and we cannot allow these harmful products to jeopardise the well-being of future generations,' said MMA in a statement on Friday (May 16). MMA said that while a federal ban on vaping products may require legislative amendments, state governments could still go ahead and implement state-level bans. MMA also noted that cases of lung injury linked to vape and e-cigarette use have already been reported in Malaysia, with treatment costs for each patient reaching six figures. It cited figures from the Health Ministry, which reported that a total of 41 e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (Evali) cases have been reported from 2019 until 2024, costing the government RM150,000 to treat each case. 'In addition to this, the National Poison Centre recorded 111 cases of incidents related to exposure to e-cigarettes or vape liquids from 2015 to 2023. 'These figures will further increase or potentially skyrocket if vaping continues to be permitted,' said MMA. MMA urges the government to take decisive action by implementing a nationwide ban on vaping and e-cigarette products. 'We must put the health of our people, especially our youth, above all else. 'Now is the time to act with courage and responsibility, for the sake of current and future generations,' added MMA. Presently, Johor and Kelantan have completely banned the sale of vape products, while Kedah will stop issuing new licenses for vape shops. Terengganu and Perlis will ban the sale of vape products on Aug 1.
