GEORGE TOWN – Two advocacy groups today sought the Health Ministry’s discretion on giving the vaping industry another chance to regulate itself in the face of an outright ban.
The Vape Consumer Association of Malaysia (VCAM), which was formed to raise awareness among Malaysian consumers about licensed vape products, believes that vaping is an effective smoking cessation tool.
Its president Tengku Aslahuddin Tengku Azlan said in a statement that should vaping be banned alongside cigarettes, smokers would no longer have a safe alternative to turn to and they might have to resort to quitting cold turkey, which has been proven to be less effective.
The ministry has proposed to table a new act in Parliament to ban smoking and possession of tobacco products – including vape – to those born after 2005, in a move called Generational End Game.
Tengku Aslahuddin said that the Generational End Game could have many negative impacts that outweigh the positive ones.
Similarly, the Malaysian Vape Industry Advocacy president Rizani Zakaria believed that the proposal to implement a ban on vape sale, which will be tabled in July, is unfair to the industry.
“To equate the vape and tobacco industry with each other by imposing a ban on products is unfair to the vape industry.
“Internationally, various studies have shown that the two products are vastly different. In fact, it has been proven that vape is less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
“Public Health England, United Kingdom’s (UK) health agency has also reported that vape is 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes,” he said in a statement.
This data has been recognised by other countries such as Canada, New Zealand, and various public health bodies around the world.
“In fact, in the UK, vape was proposed to be a smoking cessation treatment tool.”
Meanwhile, Tengku Aslahuddin pointed out that the ban could contribute to a rising demand for tobacco products in the black market.
He observed that without proper restrictions or regulations, tobacco products sold in the black market can be counterfeited which can lead to worse bodily harm due to unregulated ingredients and quality.
In 2021, the vape industry has an estimated value of RM2.27 billion globally and is projected to reach RM279.10 billion by 2027.
Market research done by Green Zebras (commissioned by the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce) shows that there are more than 3,300 businesses related directly to the vape industry, with a workforce of more than 15,000 workers.
It was further estimated that these workers were paid up to RM450 million in total wages back in 2019 alone.
This data strongly indicates that the vape industry is experiencing massive growth, and a total vape ban could impact the country’s economy due to the loss in revenue and job opportunities for local workers.
Furthermore, the rise in the black market could also affect legitimate businesses due to products being sold at a much lower rate than the market price.
“Therefore, regulating the vaping industry would be the country’s best bet at curbing smoking habits among Malaysians,” said Tengku Aslahuddin.
Proper regulation of the vaping industry requires all products to undergo inspections before they are deemed as safe to be distributed to the public.
Thus, the legalisation of vape products can also contribute to the country’s economy, especially with the abundance of local products which are imported in other countries.
“This also includes zero nicotine vape products that could be part of the transitioning process towards escaping nicotine addiction among smokers,” Tengku Aslahuddin said. – The Vibes, April 28, 2022
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