Latest news with #Ridhwan
New Straits Times
31-07-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
MVCC: Keep vape affordable to help smokers switch
GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) backs the government's health initiatives but has called for caution on proposed taxes on vape products. "We support the government's goal of encouraging healthier choices. "However, any tax on vape products must recognise that vape is significantly less harmful than cigarettes. "It is crucial that vape remains more affordable than tobacco to incentivise smokers to switch," MVCC secretary-general Ridhwan Rosli told the New Straits Times. Ridhwan said pricing vape products too closely to cigarettes risked discouraging smokers from making that transition which would ultimately undermine public health goals. "pro-health" taxes on tobacco, vape and alcohol products under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to curb the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He said the government must be firm in addressing health risks. He also said that pro-health taxes would be expanded beyond sugar to include products such as tobacco, vape and alcohol, not merely for revenue, but to drive behavioural change and combat NCDs.
The Sun
29-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Vape players reject ban, call it flawed
KUALA LUMPUR: A coalition of vape associations has strongly opposed the government's move to ban vape sales, warning that such a move would harm adult consumers and drive them toward the unregulated black market. They also argue that prohibition is not a practical solution to misuse and would instead worsen the situation by encouraging the use of unsafe, unregulated products that are easily accessible to minors. Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) secretary-general Ridhwan Rosli said history has shown that consumers, when denied access to legal vape products, will turn to the black market in search of alternatives, exposing themselves to unregulated and potentially dangerous products. 'Let us be clear: it is not the legal industry that is responsible for any misuse of vape products. 'It is the illegal and unregulated market that continues to operate outside the scope of Act 852. 'Banning legal sales would unfairly penalise responsible businesses that are complying with government regulations and working to support harm reduction efforts in Malaysia,' he said in a statement. Ridhwan said, based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, despite nicotine vape being prohibited in Malaysia at the time, 4.9% of the population or approximately 1.1 million people, were using unregulated vape products. 'Even in states such as Johor and Kelantan, where the sale of products has been banned since 2015, usage remains high, with more than 150,000 users reported in Johor and over 30,000 users in Kelantan,' he said. Similarly, in Singapore, where a full ban on vape use is in place, findings from a survey conducted by Milieu Insight between Q3'21 and Q4'23 revealed that vape usage increased from 3.9% to 5.2% of the population. 'These examples demonstrate that prohibition does not work. The vape industry is a significant part of the local economy, valued at RM3.48 billion in 2023. 'It supports approximately 7,500 general retail shops, 2,500 specialty vape outlets, and employs over 31,500 Malaysians as of 2022, many of whom are Bumiputera entrepreneurs. On July 28, the Health Ministry stated that it is working towards a full ban on the sale of vape and e-cigarette products, as reported in the Dewan Rakyat. This followed the authorities' findings that the smoking products are being abused for the consumption of illegal drugs. Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry is evaluating the effectiveness of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act (Act 852) first. 'Up to June this year, from 58 investigation papers opened (by the police), 70% of the vape products – either the open or closed system – were found positive for illegal substances,' he said. Malaysia at the Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) country associate Tarmizi Anuwar said a ban will not eliminate demand, it will just eliminate safe access. He said Malaysians use vape as a less harmful alternative to smoking. 'Taking away this option won't protect them, it will put them at risk.' Tarmizi said instead of supporting adult smokers in switching to less harmful alternatives, a ban would force many to either return to cigarettes or turn to illegal sources where product safety, labelling, and age controls are non-existent. He further said that this concern is not hypothetical. A 2021 global meta-analysis found that former smokers who used vape were up to twice as likely to relapse into cigarette smoking. 'The study concluded that without proper access to less harmful alternatives, nicotine dependence could resurface, driving people back to the most harmful form: combustible tobacco. 'Prohibition has never been a successful public health strategy. What adult consumers need are clear rules, product standards, and responsible retail access, not policies that drive everything underground,' he said. From a consumer perspective, CCC also warned of rising stigma around vaping, noting that many adult users already face confusion and judgment due to poor public understanding of the role vape plays in harm reduction. 'Consumers are being left out of the conversation. They are treated as if they're part of the problem when, in fact, many are making informed choices to reduce harm. Public health policy should support those efforts, not punish them,' Tarmizi said. Ridhwan said MVCC have noted the formation of the government's expert committee to study vaping policy and welcomes the call for a comprehensive review of industrial, regulatory, economic and licensing aspects. However, he said, for this process to be truly effective, the legal vape industry must be included in these discussions, alongside addiction and harm reduction experts. Excluding key stakeholders will only lead to policies that fail to address the root causes of misuse and hinder public health goals, he said. 'We urge the government to engage directly with the legal industry to develop practical and effective solutions to prevent misuse. 'Enforcement, not prohibition, is key. A collaborative approach will enable us to strengthen regulations, enhance compliance, and safeguard public health without harming a legitimate and growing sector of the economy,' Ridhwan said. In expressing deep concern over the reported consideration of a nationwide ban on vape product sales, the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) urges the government to recognise that banning legal sales will not solve misuse but will dismantle the regulated retail ecosystem and create space for illegal, uncontrolled trade to flourish. MRECA president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas said many of its members have invested in compliance and training under Act 852. He said shutting them down without addressing misuse would harm thousands of entrepreneurs and workers. 'MRECA supports regulation – not prohibition – and stresses that misuse stems from poor enforcement and illegal sellers, not licensed retailers. The government must focus on stricter enforcement, online monitoring, and tougher action against unlicensed operators,' Adzwan said. MRECA urge the government 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. '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,' Adzwan said.
Focus Malaysia
16-06-2025
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
Vape ban will backfire: Industry, consumer advocates urge gov't to enforce regulations instead
AS Pahang becomes the latest Malaysian state to announce a ban on vape products, industry and consumer representatives are calling for a more balanced approach. They are urging the relevant authorities to focus on enforcing existing federal regulations under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) instead of implementing blanket bans that risk worsening public health and safety. The Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) and the Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) Malaysia have both voiced serious concern over the growing trend of state-level vape bans. Both warned that such measures will not eliminate vaping but will instead push the activity underground, benefiting black market operators and endangering consumers. 'The vape industry in Malaysia is not a fringe sector. It is a legitimate, regulated industry that contributes significantly to the economy,' the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) secretary-general Ridhwan Rosli told FocusM. 'According to the Malaysian Vape Industry Study 2023, the industry was valued at RM3.48 bil, employing 31,500 workers and supported by 7,500 general retail shops and 2,500 specialty vape shops. 'These are real jobs, real businesses and real livelihoods that are now at risk because of these state bans.' Lacking enforcement Instead of banning vape products outright, Ridhwan urged state governments to work with the federal government to enforce Act 852 which provides a clear framework to regulate the sale, marketing and manufacturing of vape products in Malaysia. 'Vape retailers have already submitted the necessary documentation to the Health Ministry (MOH) to comply with product registration and price approval requirements with approvals expected anytime now,' he lamented. 'This clearly shows that legal industry players are ready and fully supportive of Act 852. We should be focusing on rolling out and enforcing Act 852 instead of sidelining it through outright bans.' Ridhwan further expressed concern that enforcement has not yet caught up with the law despite legal industry players being fully prepared to comply with Act 852. 'In fact, we've been pushing for these regulations for years because we believe in responsible business practices,' he justified. 'But when bans are imposed, it punishes the compliant legal players and creates a vacuum that illegal and unregulated vendors will quickly fill. 'The bad actors are the ones operating in the shadows to distribute vape products containing illicit substances. A ban won't stop them; it will just give them more customers.' Harm reduction compromised Echoing similar concerns, the Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) has also highlighted the dangers of pushing consumers to the black market. 'When state governments ban access to legal, regulated products, consumers don't stop using them but they simply lose the protection of safety standards and quality control,' opined CCC's Malaysia country associate Tarmizi Anuwar. 'The black market becomes the only option, and that's where real harm begins. Products with unknown ingredients, unregulated nicotine levels and dangerous additives become widespread. That's a far greater risk to public health.' Tarmizi went on to urge Malaysia to focus on harm reduction as a central public health strategy. 'Millions of Malaysians are still smoking cigarettes when vape has been a proven tool to help many of them transition away from combustible tobacco. By banning vape, we risk reversing that progress by driving smokers back to far more harmful products,' he warned. He also stressed the need for both the federal and state authorities to work together to ensure Act 852 is effectively enforced, particularly at retail points of sale through proper licensing, age verification mechanisms and routine inspections. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Berita RTM (@beritartm) 'If states truly want to protect public health, they must regulate – not prohibit. Enforcement is key, not prohibition.' With Johor and Kelantan having had long-standing bans in place since 2016, and now Terengganu and Perlis set to implement similar prohibitions from Aug 1 1, MVCC and CCC warn that Malaysia risks creating a fragmented regulatory landscape that undermines national policy coherence. 'We urge state governments to re-consider,' reasoned Tarmizi. 'Let's give the new regulations under Act 852 a chance to work. 'Let's strengthen enforcement, crack down on the black market and support responsible businesses that are committed to harm reduction. Bans may seem like an easy fix but they will only create bigger problems down the road.' – June 16, 2025
New Straits Times
11-05-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
No watchdog, more risk: Vape misuse soars amid regulatory void
KUALA LUMPUR: The absence of a dedicated regulatory body overseeing the contents and quality of vape products in Malaysia is a significant factor contributing to their misuse, including the presence of illicit substances. Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) secretary-general Ridhwan Rosli said that without proper oversight, there would be no mechanism to verify the safety and legality of vape products available to consumers. This lack of regulation had led to instances where vapes were used to consume illegal drugs, he told Buletin Utama. "There is no agency in Malaysia that regulates the quality of vape products. This is exactly why we're seeing the misuse of vapes for drug consumption," he added. Ridhwan said that the absence of checks allowed for the sale of unverified and potentially harmful products. He was commenting on the government's move to impose a ban on electronic cigarettes and vapes — a decision that has left many industry players and traders in a state of uncertainty. He said that instead of an outright ban, the government should consider implementing a proper regulatory framework to control and monitor the industry. Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entities (Move) president Samsul Kamal Ariffin said that such a ban could lead to the proliferation of untested and unapproved products, exacerbating health risks. "We will lose out on the consumer side, as the products will no longer be regulated at all — this will lead to a black market filled with untested and unapproved items," he said. Pointing out the economic implications, he said that the government would miss out on potential tax revenue from the industry. According to the Malaysian Vape Industry Study 2023, the vape market was valued at over RM3.48 billion in 2023, involving more than 7,500 premises and employing over 31,500 individuals. The study indicates that a significant number of smokers have switched to vaping, with 31 per cent of Malaysian smokers having completely transitioned to vape products. On May 4, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that the government was encouraging more states to cease issuing licences to premises selling vape and e-cigarettes, in line with actions already taken by some states. On April 24, Terengganu Local Government, Housing and Health Committee chairman Datuk Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah announced that the state would ban the sale of vape products at all premises from Aug 1. Wan Sukairi said the decision was a proactive measure to curb the sale and use of vape products, which could have negative health effects on the younger generation. On April 27, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said he wanted to emulate Terengganu's move, adding that he would raise the matter at the state executive council meeting. Previously, both Johor and Kelantan had enforced a ban on the sale of vape and e-cigarette products since January 2016.
