THE Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entity (MOVE) said the government should focus on regulating the contents used for vaping as it would be more effective than cracking down on vape sales and users.
Its president Samsul Kamal said the policy should be formulated based on scientific evidence to ensure it is also in line with all the approaches taken on cigarettes so far.
According to him, the ban on vaping has caused some concern, especially when cigarettes are still legally sold as usual.
“The ban on vaping while cigarettes are freely sold is a sign that there is a big gap in the country's public health policy,” he said.
Samsul explained that policies related to vape that are to be formulated must take into account global data, scientific facts and evidence-based practices.
“We cannot let fear and misunderstanding dominate all issues related to vape,” he said.
Any major step that has a major impact on public health, he explained, cannot be implemented solely based on the perceptions and fears of the masses.
“MOVE is optimistic that consumers will turn to the black market to buy vape if the government continues to have ‘double standards’ in this matter,” he said.
He said that countries like the United Kingdom and New Zealand have proven that regulated vaping sales can help adult smokers quit.
“In this case, attention should be paid to the chemicals used in vaping, not the device itself,” he said.
“Unclear regulation will only encourage illegal vape sales, which can be manipulated by adding prohibited substances,” he added. - August 2, 2025
