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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
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.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Youngsters dripping magic mushroom extract on cigarettes
KUALA LUMPUR: Magic mushroom extracts are now being consumed not only through vape liquids but also by applying them directly to cigarette tobacco, Buletin Utama reported. Malaysian Substance Abuse Council (Masac) secretary-general Raja Azizan Suhaimi said the trend marks a troubling shift in drug habits, with youths dripping the psychoactive liquid onto cigarettes, complicating enforcement efforts. "They're no longer just using vapes. Some are dripping these liquids onto cigarettes," he said. Raja Azizan said enforcement is futile if authorities focus solely on vape devices and ignore the contents sold openly in shops. He said Masac had received complaints from parents about legal loopholes, particularly due to gaps in the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and the Poisons Act 1952. "Even if arrests are made, it's pointless because their urine tests come back negative. As long as the substances are not officially gazetted, they won't be detected by test strips," he said. Raja Azizan warned that the enforcement gap hinders legal action, as current test kits detect only substances listed under Health Ministry schedules. According to police data, a total of 87 new psychoactive substances were listed under Acts 234 and 366 between 2015 and 2024, 43 under the Dangerous Drugs Act and 44 under the Poisons Act. However, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has identified more than 1,245 such substances globally. Federal Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department deputy director Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaki Ashar said they are hoping that all these dangerous chemicals can be registered. "Once registered, we can test for them in urine and blood, making enforcement more effective," he said. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry is being urged to play a stronger role in regulating vape liquids currently sold in the market, especially to prevent the abuse of such products by drug syndicates. However, the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) secretary-general Ridhwan Rosli cautioned against generalising the issue and placing blanket blame on the vape industry. "Just because some have abused vapes by mixing in drugs, it doesn't mean everyone is doing the same. "For the majority, electronic cigarettes are an alternative to tobacco. Abuse involving children must certainly be addressed, but it's heartbreaking when all vape users are perceived as drug addicts," the group added. For the record, the vape industry was estimated to be worth over RM3.48 billion in 2023, involving more than 7,500 premises and over 31,500 workers.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
Before Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Sangrur hooch tragedy probe panel called for strong central law to curb methanol use
Chandigarh: In a letter to the Union industry and commerce minister on Wednesday, following the Majitha hooch tragedy, sought the framing of supplementary legal provisions or a dedicated national law among other regulatory measures for methyl alcohol. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The recommendation came after the Majitha hooch tragedy, the toll of which has reached 27, and more than four months after a high-level committee of three senior IAS officers which probed the March 2024 hooch tragedy in Sangrur advocated for a "very strong central legislation". "Since hooch tragedies are being reported across different states, primarily due to methyl alcohol entering the ethyl alcohol supply chain, there is an urgent need for a strong central legislation," according to the report by Punjab chief secretary K A P Sinha, then excise commissioner Varun Roojam, and then additional chief secretary (industries) Tejveer Singh. The panel, formed in the aftermath of the March 2024 Sangrur incident, had strongly advocated for a national framework to regulate methanol production and distribution. The panel had also urged for dynamic and uniform enforcement mechanisms across states. In addition, the report called upon the Punjab health and family welfare department to implement the Punjab Poisons Possession and Sale Rules, 2014, framed under the Poisons Act, 1919, to curb methanol pilferage. A letter in this regard, TOI has learnt, was sent to the principal secretary of the department on Dec 30, 2024—days before the panel submitted its report to the state government. "These rules empower executive magistrates, police sub-inspectors and above, medical officers, and designated inspectors to inspect licensed premises selling poison, including methanol," the report stated. "There is an urgent need to properly regulate the through consistent district-level enforcement," the report added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Two owners of a Ludhiana-based chemical factory, from where the methanol used in making spurious liquor in the Majitha incident was allegedly procured by the accused, were among the 16 arrests made by Punjab Police. Meanwhile, emphasising the need to ensure distinctly separate supply chains, the report also stated, "Niti Ayog has been recommending ramping up methyl alcohol production from 2 MT to 20 MT. Immediate action is thus warranted to ensure that methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol supply chains are made distinctly separate and there is no scope of pilferage at any level at any point in time." It added, "Introduction of a legal regulatory framework for control over methanol can definitely go a long way in ensuring the implementation of strict surveillance and control measures to prevent the diversion of industrial methanol." As reported by the TOI on Thursday, the panel, among other things, also observed that there was a "need to enhance both the capabilities and accountability of police and excise enforcement wings to effectively combat illicit brewing. " MSID:: 121192060 413 |
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Girl, 13, among 3 probed for offences linked to ‘Kpod' drug-laced vapes: HSA
SINGAPORE – The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) raided a teenager's home after she was seen behaving erratically while vaping in public outside the State Courts on April 24. In a statement on May 13, HSA said it had been alerted then to the 13-year-old girl, who was observed to be 'unsteady in gait and appeared to be oblivious of her surroundings; a sign of possible drug intoxication'. The authority subsequently identified her, and, in the raid on her residence, seized an e-vaporiser that was tested and found to contain etomidate – a medicinal ingredient used in clinical practice as an anaesthetic agent. Vapes that contain vape juice mixed with potent ingredients like etomidate or ketamine are known as Kpods. HSA later identified and caught the 25-year-old man who sold the e-vaporiser to the girl. One e-vaporiser and three pods seized from him were also found to contain etomidate. The man, his 26-year-old wife and the teenager are all assisting in an investigation into the case. Etomidate is a potent ingredient that should be administered only under medical supervision, said HSA. Adverse effects of etomidate include nausea and vomiting, uncontrollable movements or spasms of muscles, changes to breathing and blood pressure, seizures, psychosis and physical dependence. In a separate case, HSA identified a 36-year-old man seen vaping on an MRT train in a video posted on social media on April 18. HSA raided the man's residence but did not find any e-vaporisers, with the man claiming he had thrown his vape away. The authority is investigating the case. Vaping is illegal in Singapore. The purchase, possession and use of e-vaporisers are prohibited under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, and this includes those bought online or from overseas. Offenders can be fined up to $2,000. Those found with pods containing etomidate can also be charged under the Poisons Act. Those convicted can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $10,000, or both. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
AsiaOne
13-05-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
Girl, 13, caught using drug-laced vape outside State Courts among 3 people being investigated by HSA, Singapore News
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) raided the home of a 13-year-old girl after she was caught behaving erratically and vaping outside the State Courts. According to a statement by HSA on Tuesday (May 13), she was vaping publicly and appeared "unsteady in gait" outside the courts on April 24. After she was identified, the authority raided her house and seized one e-vaporiser. Further testing revealed that the e-vaporiser contains etomidate — a controlled substance used in clinical practice as an anaesthetic agent. Adverse effects of etomidate include nausea and vomiting, uncontrollable movement or spasm of muscles, changes to breathing and blood pressure, seizures and psychosis. HSA subsequently identified and caught the 25-year-old male who sold the e-vaporiser to the teenager, seizing one e-vaporiser and three pods containing etomidate from his possession. The man, his 26-year-old wife, and the teenager are currently assisting with HSA's investigation. In a separate incident, the authority identified a 36-year-old man who was filmed vaping on an MRT train on April 18. Officials raided his house but did not find any e-vaporiser. He claimed that he had thrown it away. The case is being investigated. Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, purchase, possession and use of e-vaporisers are prohibited, including purchases made online and from overseas. Offenders can be fined up to $2,000, and those possessing or using pods containing etomidate can face a maximum penalty of imprisonment for up to two years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both, under the Poisons Act. HSA encourages those with information on the illegal import, distribution or sale of e-vaporisers to contact the Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684 2036 or 6684 2037 during office hours. Those who witness vaping activities may also report offenders to the authority. [[nid:716393]]
