KUALA LUMPUR – The shocking incidence of electronic cigarettes and vape products being marketed towards children and young people has spurred a think tank focused on health and social care to demand that Parliament enacts the overdue legislation to control tobacco and smoking.
According to the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, the Health Ministry’s (MoH) statement lamenting the promotion of such products aimed at youngsters has highlighted the need to pass and put in force the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022.
Its chief executive officer Azrul Mohd Khalib said it shows the futility and helplessness of health authorities in protecting vulnerable individuals when such laws remain unpassed by Parliament.
“Despite being an industry worth an estimated RM 2.3 billion and being the largest market in Southeast Asia, the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes and their products remain unregulated in Malaysia.
“4.9% of the population currently vape, and this percentage is rising by the day,” he said.
“As a consequence of the lack of legislation or regulation, nothing is able to prevent the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of vape products that are not only intentionally marketed to minors, but also contain excessive levels of nicotine,” he said.
According to him, in the United Kingdom, Europe, and even Indonesia, where vaping is regulated, the maximum allowed nicotine content is 20mg, or 2%.
However, in Malaysia, vape liquids in single-use disposables with up to 5% nicotine are easily available for RM10 to RM20.
Such high concentrations, even in small amounts, are toxic for children, he said.
Earlier today, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa expressed the ministry’s concern and regrets at the issue of the sale of electronic cigarettes or vape products in front of a school that has gone viral recently.
She said the ministry is also aware of promotional activities, advertising and sales of electronic cigarettes or vapes that resemble children’s games such as the “Tiger Pod” which are now becoming widespread.
“This is very worrying because the product is designed to attract children and teenagers to use it, and even the vape product uses a liquid containing nicotine, the sale of which is regulated under the Poisons Act 1952,” she had said in a statement.
Azrul said that the bill proposes to regulate the vape industry in the same way that the tobacco industry is currently regulated, especially regarding advertisements, marketing, promotion, and sponsorships.
It will help rein in and regulate vaping, which has gotten out of control in this country, he said.
“To ensure passage of this bill by this current government, I am proposing that the provisions related to the generational endgame in the current version of the bill be dropped.”
“Those provisions, which were found to be contentious and unpalatable by members of the previous Parliament, will have to be fought another day.
“However, we urgently need the rest of the provisions contained in the bill, including regulating vaping, as none of these issues or problems can be properly addressed and overcome without proper legislation in place,” said Azrul. – The Vibes, January 25, 2023
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