Malaysia's move towards nationwide vape ban draws mixed reactions

Health advocates laud move, but retailers say ban could push the trade underground

- Muzliza Mustafa

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is set to emulate neighbour Singapore and ban vaping, in an effort to curb rising misuse. The move, while lauded by health advocates, has met with resistance from the pro-vape lobby.

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the implementation will be carried out in phases, starting with a ban on "open-system" vapes, before being expanded to cover all types of vape products.

Open-system vapes are reusable devices that can be manually refilled with any liquid or substance, unlike the closed-system vapes that are disposable and hence more popular with new and casual users due to the convenience.

Datuk Seri Dzulkefly was giving a written reply in Parliament on Sept 9 and 10 to queries about whether the government is prepared to ban vape sales, in line with measures taken by several state governments to better safeguard public health against harmful diseases.

The Health Minister told the media on Sept 11 that the government is finalising a Cabinet paper to ban vaping nationwide, saying: "It is no longer if we ban, but when we ban." More details will be given at a later date.

The vape industry has grown rapidly in Malaysia. It was valued at RM3.48 billion (S$1.1 billion) in 2023 compared with RM2.27 billion in 2019, according to the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce.

And the 2023 Global Adult Tobacco Survey estimated that in a country of 34.2 million people, 1.4 million Malaysian adults use e-cigarettes.