AN INITIAL investigation by the Ministry of Health (MoH) has found that the nasal inhaler product known as ‘Energy Stick’ which is gaining popularity among Malaysian schoolchildren and youths is not a registered product in the country although it is being widely sold via online platforms.
Health Director-General Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan warned that the sale of unregistered health products violates Regulation 7(1)(a) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984.
Checks on e-commerce platforms have found the product being openly peddled and promoted by local and foreign sellers, he added.
He said that the authorities are pursuing the matter and will take action on perpetrators caught distributing or selling the item, which is said to have narcotic-like effect on users.
Individual found infringing this law by selling the items are liable to be fined up to RM25,000 or imprisoned for up to three years, or both, upon conviction, he said.
If convicted for a second and subsequent offence, the seller may be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed for a maximum of 5 years, or both.
Companies that commit the same offence can be fined up to RM50,000 for the first offence and up to RM100,000 for subsequent offences.
"MoH has received public complaints related to the online sale of the product that is observed to be unregistered,” Muhammad Radzi said in a statement today.
“The results of the initial investigation found that the product in question was not a registered product.
Such products need to be registered with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) as per the legal provisions under the Sale of Drugs Act 1952.
The DCA comes under the MoH's National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority (NPRA).
"Therefore, monitoring and enforcement actions will be carried out on those found selling the product in question," he said.
The issue was brought to the attention of the public and authorities when the Public Health Malaysia (PHM) account on Facebook recently posted a warning on the product.
It said that the nasal inhalation device is the latest gimmick in the market to become popular among school students and is widely sold at prices from as low as RM2.50 up to RM10.
Based on observation, using the product has a similar effect as taking drugs, it warned.
The act of sniffing through the nose is akin to snorting on drug powder, it said.
This is psychologically very harmful as it can encourage users to try other substances, including narcotics.
Muhammad Radzi advised consumers to ensure that any health product in the market has a hologram sticker and a product registration number before buying one.
The product registration status can be checked by visiting the website https://www.npra.gov.my or by calling the National Pharmaceutical Call Centre at 1-800-88-6722.
The public can also download the NPRA Product Status app from the Google Play Store for such review purposes. – The Vibes, February 8, 2024
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