Malaysia’s Terengganu to ban e-cigarettes as concerns mount over youth vaping
The rise of vaping in Malaysia over the past year was spurred by the exemption of nicotine-laced vape products from the Poisons Act
Malaysia’s vape industry may be running out of puff after Terengganu became the second state to ban the sale of e-cigarettes, as concerns grow over their impact on public health and youth-targeted marketing.
Vape shops have rapidly expanded nationwide over the past year, offering a variety of flavours with a local twist, like teh tarik – a hot tea drink – and other delicacies to meet demand spurred by the transition of nearly a third of Malaysia’s almost 5 million smokers to vaping.
The health ministry meanwhile revealed that it could incur annual costs of up to US$82 million by 2030 to treat lung injuries linked to e-cigarette and vaping use, with each hospitalised patient requiring up to 150,000 ringgit (US$33,482) for a 12-day stay.
On Wednesday, Terengganu’s Chief Minister Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar announced that local authorities in the state would not renew the business licence for vape and e-cigarette sales, saying it was in the public interest, particularly the youth.
“The state government has the authority not to allow premises to be used to sell vape,” Ahmad Samsuri reportedly told local news agency Berita Harian.
The minister and his state government were criticised by the public when they endorsed a large motorcycle gathering in September that was sponsored by a vape company, whose logo appeared on the shirts worn by Ahmad Samsuri and other officials.
