THE nation may be facing a looming public health crisis as vaping products become increasingly difficult to regulate, monitor and treat when linked to poisoning or substance abuse cases, according to the National Poison Centre (PRN) at Universiti Sains Malaysia.
The warning comes amid growing concerns that vaping devices are no longer being used solely for nicotine consumption but are increasingly serving as vehicles for illicit drugs and highly potent synthetic substances.
PRN Director Dr Nur Azzalia Kamaruzaman said the vape industry has evolved at a pace far exceeding regulatory efforts, despite Malaysia taking almost a decade to establish dedicated legislation through the Control of Smoking Products Act 2024.
While authorities were developing regulatory frameworks, she said the industry underwent dramatic transformations that fundamentally altered both the devices and the substances being consumed.
"Initially, vape products were introduced through open systems that required users to refill e-liquid themselves before evolving into closed or pre-filled systems that were easier to use.
"Subsequently, disposable vape products emerged, becoming more practical, cheaper and more accessible to various segments of society, including children and adolescents.
"Its compact and modern design attracts new users, can be misleading and is easily concealed by school students," she said in a statement today.
Dr Nur Azzalia said the industry's transformation extends beyond device design and now includes significant changes in nicotine formulations.
According to her, early vaping products relied on free-base nicotine, which produced a harsher sensation and was less appealing to inexperienced users.
However, manufacturers have increasingly shifted towards nicotine salts, which provide a smoother experience and are more easily tolerated even by first-time users.
She warned that the emergence of synthetic nicotine has further complicated efforts to assess health risks and detect harmful substances.
"More worrying is the emergence of synthetic nicotine, which makes detection and the prediction of toxic effects increasingly complex and, at the same time, vape devices are no longer used solely for nicotine.
"These devices are increasingly being misused as a medium for consuming drugs and prohibited substances. Various substances are being used interchangeably, including synthetic drugs such as synthetic cannabis, fentanyl and etomidate, which have extremely potent effects and are often difficult to treat using conventional clinical approaches," she said.
Dr Nur Azzalia said the rapid evolution of vaping products has created significant challenges for regulators and law enforcement agencies.
Laboratory capabilities to screen and confirm the presence of illicit substances in vape products remain limited and expensive, while the substances themselves continue to change rapidly.
"The substances used are constantly changing, while detection efforts are becoming increasingly challenging and sometimes fail to keep pace with the speed of developments in the black market," she said.
She added that mounting evidence suggests vaping is increasingly becoming a gateway not only to nicotine addiction but also to drug experimentation among young people.
"Evidence of vape misuse is becoming increasingly apparent. It not only creates opportunities for nicotine addiction but also has the potential to become a gateway to drug use among young people.
"Early exposure to nicotine among children and adolescents is known to affect brain development, thinking abilities, learning capacity and the formation of future behaviour.
"This situation becomes even more worrying as vape use among adolescents continues to rise.
"National Health and Morbidity Survey data show that the prevalence of vape use among Malaysian adolescents increased from 9.8 per cent in 2017 to 14.9 per cent in 2022.
"This trend indicates that more young people are being exposed to nicotine and are at risk of falling into addiction and substance abuse at an earlier age," she said.
Dr Nur Azzalia cautioned that poisoning cases linked to vaping reported to the National Poison Centre likely represent only a fraction of the true scale of the problem.
She explained that the centre's figures are based solely on enquiries received for poisoning management advice and do not constitute a comprehensive national reporting database.
"The existing figures may represent only a small portion of the actual incidents occurring in the field and this situation can be likened to a 'time bomb' waiting to trigger a larger public health impact," she said.
In light of these concerns, the National Poison Centre has backed efforts by the Ministry of Health and calls by the Royal Malaysia Police to consider banning vape products altogether.
"Accordingly, PRN supports the efforts of the Ministry of Health and the calls by the Royal Malaysia Police to consider a vape ban in order to protect the health and safety of the public, particularly the younger generation.
"However, any implementation of a prohibition policy must be comprehensively supported.
"The government must assist relevant agencies and stakeholders through continuous awareness campaigns, capacity-building programmes, the provision of accessible nicotine addiction treatment services, as well as firm and consistent enforcement," she said.
Dr Nur Azzalia also called for stricter controls on the sale of vape products to children and teenagers.
"We cannot continue allowing the industry to move faster than policy and enforcement.
"If we fail to act now, the country may face a generation that is not only addicted to nicotine but is also exposed to drug traps through devices that have long been perceived as harmless," she said. - June 9, 2026
