Latest news with #electroniccigarettes
South China Morning Post
29-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia drags feet on vape ban as youth lung damage fears mount
Malaysians have accused the government of dragging its feet over a full ban on vapes , saying the health damage inflicted on smokers of electronic cigarettes, especially the young, is abundantly clear with prematurely damaged lungs among the horror stories shared by them. Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad has said his ministry will commission a study involving the finance, domestic and international trade ministries before suggesting a potential nationwide ban on vapes, despite six of Malaysia 's thirteen states already enforcing their separate prohibition. His suggestion has been seen by some Malaysians as another flip-flop approach by the government towards the money-spinning e-cigarette industry. Malaysia has removed liquid nicotine from the poison list, which critics say has opened the floodgates of unrestricted sales to minors. It has also shied away from a total ban on tobacco use. Hafidz Halim, a 34-year-old engineer who has three school-age children, said vape use was becoming increasingly accessible, with the pen-sized devices easily concealed and brought into schools. 'My friends and I have to actively go through our children's belongings to see if they have it on them,' Hafidz told This Week in Asia.
Malay Mail
29-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Vape retailers oppose total ban, want stricter enforcement and inclusion in policy talks
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Malaysia's vape retail industry is calling for improved enforcement of existing regulations rather than a complete prohibition on the sale of electronic cigarettes, arguing that a blanket ban would not address the root problem. The Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) contends that the real issue behind vape misuse lies in inadequate enforcement against illegal operators, not the presence of licensed retailers. In a statement, the association demanded stronger government action, including proactive raids on unlicensed outlets, stricter monitoring of online sales platforms, and harsher penalties for those who violate the law. MRECA president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas insisted that misuse occurs primarily when illegal sellers are allowed to operate freely without facing consequences. 'Blanket bans will only hurt those who are playing by the rules, while doing nothing to disrupt the illegal market that continues to profit without oversight,' he said. A shop operator arranges e-cigarette products in Sungai Buloh, on October 17, 2024. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin Call for inclusion in policy discussions The industry body said it supports the formation of the government's expert committee to study the issue but demanded that retailers be included in policy discussions as key stakeholders. MRECA argued that licensed retailers possess valuable frontline knowledge about market trends, enforcement gaps, and responsible selling practices that should inform any policy decisions. Excluding the legal industry from the policymaking process, the association maintained, will likely result in ineffective outcomes that fail to address the root causes of misuse. This response comes a day after Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad announced in Parliament that the government is 'moving towards' a complete ban on the sale and use of electronic cigarettes. He noted that six states — Johor, Kelantan, Terengganganu, Perlis, Kedah, and Pahang — have already stopped issuing new business licences for vape products, a move he supported as being in line with public health goals.
Washington Post
17-07-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
FDA lets Juul market vapes in the U.S. three years after trying to ban them
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized Juul Labs to market its electronic cigarettes, years after the agency tried to ban the company's products amid outcry over its role in fueling the popularity of vapes among young people. The agency, after reviewing scientific data provided by the company, concluded that Juul's electronic cigarette device and refillable cartridges in tobacco and menthol flavors can help adult cigarette users reduce smoking or switch to less harmful products, outweighing the risk to youth.
Malay Mail
22-06-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Perak eyes October enforcement of vape sales ban, says state health chairman
IPOH, June 22 — The state government is targeting the banning of electronic cigarettes or vapes sales in October throughout Perak. Perak Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National Integration Committee chairman A Sivanesan said a working paper on the matter is being drafted by the Perak State Health Department (JKN). 'We have instructed the Perak JKN led by its director Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha to ensure that this working paper can be completed as soon as possible. 'The working paper will also be brought to the State Executive Council (MMK) to decide on its enforcement, which I am targeting around October,' he said. He said this when met after officiating the Orthopaedic Symposium Programme: Latest Developments and Best Practices in the Orthopaedic Field organised by the Perak Community Specialist Hospital (PCSH) at the Kinta River Front Hotel here, today. On June 4, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad explained that the state government is comprehensively examining the need to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in Perak. Saarani said the matter had been raised in the MMK but there were several matters that needed to be comprehensively refined. Meanwhile, Sivanesan said that although he admitted that the action would cause uneasiness among vape operators, it would benefit the people overall, especially in terms of health. 'We are ready (for complaints) about this matter and for us what is good for the people we will continue,' he said. In addition, he said more than 90 individuals consisting of orthopaedic specialists from all over the country participated in the programme organised by PCSH. He said it should be emulated by other private hospitals in Perak because it aims to provide knowledge and assist in disseminating the latest technology used in the field now. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
10-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Ispire Malaysia says Johor plant operating above board
Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad had said that the Cabinet would decide on the fate of Ispire Malaysia Sdn Bhd's operations in Senai, Johor. (LinkedIn pic) PETALING JAYA : Ispire Malaysia Sdn Bhd today affirmed that its plant in Senai, Johor, which manufactures electronic cigarette devices, is fully compliant with local laws and regulations. In a statement, the firm said it operates under stringent procedures to ensure that all manufacturing activities at its Johor facility are exclusively for export purposes. 'To date, Ispire Malaysia exclusively manufactures semi-finished hardware products destined solely for export. 'These products do not contain any nicotine or cannabis – liquid or gel – and thus are not subject to the health ministry's regulations under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024,' it said. It added that the products manufactured in its Johor facility are not marketed, sold, or distributed within Malaysia and not accessible to local consumers. All finished products are exported to regulated international markets such as the US and UK where they are approved for sale by local regulators, the company said. The firm also said that references cited in recent reports were largely drawn from Ispire's official US website and pertained to its business-to-business sales operations in jurisdictions where cannabis and related products are legal. 'These statements do not accurately reflect the operations of Ispire Malaysia, which strictly adheres to all Malaysian laws and regulatory requirements/frameworks,' it said. Health think tank CodeBlue previously reported that Ispire produces nicotine and cannabis-related vaping products, and that its devices are used by clients to fill cartridges with cannabis oils in global markets. The report cited an investor presentation in Las Vegas in April, published on YouTube on May 6, which stated that Ispire produces 'mainly cannabis-related products' in its Malaysian manufacturing facility, which has up to seven production lines. In a statement last week, the health ministry confirmed that the government had issued Ispire an interim nicotine manufacturing licence to produce e-cigarettes with nicotine in its plant in Johor, together with local council approval. However, CodeBlue noted that the ministry's June 2 statement did not mention the plant's production of cannabis vaporisers, which reportedly began in February 2024. Ispire Malaysia today said that any production of nicotine-based products, if initiated, would be strictly for export and subject to formal approval by all relevant government agencies at both federal and state levels. Yesterday, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said that the Cabinet would decide on the fate of Ispire's operations in Malaysia.
