KUALA LUMPUR – The government’s decision to remove liquid or gel nicotine from the list of controlled substances scheduled under the Poisons Act 1952, which comes into force today, has been panned as an exceptionally regressive move.
Azrul Mohd Khalib, chief executive of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, said the move has stunned many who work in public health, especially those in tobacco control.
He warned that Malaysia is likely to lose its credibility on the international stage and in places such as the World Health Assembly.
“While most countries around the world are moving towards curtailing and reducing the prevalence of smoking and vaping among their populations, the Malaysian government appears to be going in the opposite direction, seemingly in a desperate move to collect tax revenue.
“However what it has instead potentially done is open the floodgates to existing and new problems, which are unable to be handled by the current healthcare and legal system,” he said in a statement today.
“This decision is likely to mark the beginning of one of the biggest public health crises in Malaysia: a dramatic increase in young people and children who are addicted to nicotine, through (vaping),” he said.
“We are already going through the non-communicable diseases crisis with millions of people living with diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and obesity. This will be the next one.”
He said that with this move nicotine will likely be misused in drinks, and in food like ice cream and sweets, as it becomes easier to procure.
“It will likely encourage made-to-order beverage sellers and custom vape retailers to experiment with the compound. It can and will lead to cases of nicotine poisoning. There are no safety standards for nicotine.”
“There are now absolutely no safeguards which prevent the online sale of e-cigarettes and vape products of high nicotine concentration to anyone, including minors,” he said.
“How did we get from being leaders in advocating a progressive policy which aims to produce a smoke-free generation of people, to a policy which deregulates nicotine and encourages the growth of the local nicotine vape industry? Other countries were looking forward to Malaysia’s leadership on this issue,” he added.
He lamented that unlike many countries, Malaysia still does not have legislation specifically for tobacco and vape control.
National anti-tobacco policy undermined
Azrul said the revised Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill must be tabled in Parliament as soon as possible.
“No more excuses, ifs, and buts. (Vapes) should be taxed but (they) also (need) to be regulated as strictly as tobacco. That is only possible with the provisions contained in the bill,” he said.
“The government and MPs must find the moral courage and vision to step up and do the right thing.”
Azrul noted that the Finance Ministry had reportedly requested the Health Ministry for this exemption to enable e-cigarettes and vape liquid or gels containing nicotine to be taxed beginning April 1.
“It was intended to not only legitimise the use of nicotine e-cigarettes and vapes, but also allow local industry to manufacture such products, which are currently mostly imported from China, so that they could also be taxed,” he said.
He stressed that the order by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa goes against the advice of the Poisons Board, which had earlier unanimously rejected the proposal.
“To regulate vapes, why not impose the same standards as those in countries such as the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and New Zealand where you cannot get more than 2% nicotine, and the same restrictions (are) imposed on cigarettes for marketing, promotion, and sales? Why drop nicotine altogether from being a controlled substance?
“This government decision now undermines and removes a cornerstone of anti-tobacco policy in Malaysia. Unfortunately, this country will join an exclusive group of nations which are reversing or ignoring anti-tobacco measures intended to reduce the prevalence of smoking, the number of young smokers and vapers, nicotine addiction, cancer, and premature death.” – The Vibes, April 1, 2023
