Debate grows over imposing nationwide vape ban in Malaysia

By Jheruleene Anne Ramos 

Calls to impose a nationwide ban on the use and sale of vape products in Malaysia are growing amid mounting concerns over public health.

Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, renewed his call in early July for the federal government to implement a blanket ban, citing the harmful effects of vaping, especially among the younger generation.

“Vaping should be banned completely. We must not be lenient, it will only cause further harm to our people,” he said, according to the New Straits Times. 

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has also urged the government to act swiftly, stressing that a comprehensive ban is the only “viable course of action” to protect public health.

“Public health must take precedence over profit and we cannot allow these harmful products to jeopardise the well-being of future generations,” it said, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today. 

Vape use among youth surges 

The renewed push for a ban comes amid rising youth vaping rates, with the 2022 National Health and Morbidity Survey estimating that 14.9 percent of students aged 13–17, or about 400,000 out of 2.7 million were using vape or e-cigarettes.

Public health experts also expressed concern over reports of students as young as 13 years old using vapes containing substances mixed with drugs. 

They attribute the growing trend to aggressive marketing, the sale of vape products near schools and a lack of awareness about health risks.

“Even primary school students are showing interest in vaping. Most youths think it is ‘cool’ and probably harmless, especially since the government has chosen not to ban it,” said Datuk Dr. Amar Singh HSS, a consultant paediatrician, to The Star. 

The 2023 NHMS and the Global Adult Tobacco Survey also found that up to 5.8 percent of Malaysian adults were using e-cigarettes.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Snakebite death in menstrual shed sparks outcry over practice in Nepal

Health and economic repercussions 

Experts warn that if left unaddressed, vaping could have long-term health and economic consequences.

MMA president Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira noted that from 2019 to 2024, the Health Ministry recorded 41 cases of vape-related lung injuries (EVALI), with each case costing the government about MYR150,000 in treatment.

Segamat MP R. Yuneswaran cautioned that if EVALI cases rise, the government could spend up to RM369 million annually on treatment, nearly cancelling out the projected RM500 million in annual vape tax revenue.

“The public health sector risks losing hundreds of millions of ringgit to treat vape-related complications – funds that could be better used for other urgent health needs,” he said. 

Concerns over black market

Despite growing support for a ban, some experts warn it could lead to unintended consequences, including a rise in the black market.

Community health specialist Professor Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh cautioned that without strong enforcement, a ban could drive users toward unregulated and potentially more harmful products or back to smoking cigarettes, which are currently cheaper and more accessible.

“Unless both vaping and tobacco cigarettes are banned simultaneously, the problem will persist. Countries like Thailand, India and Australia have attempted such bans, but experienced a rise in black market activity and a return to cigarette use,” she said. 

Calls for stricter policies, increase public awareness 

Although opinions on a total ban remain divided, health experts agree that stricter enforcement against illegal sales and greater public education are urgently needed.

They also call for awareness campaigns targeted at youth to highlight the dangers of vaping and support systems for adults who have switched from smoking to vaping, encouraging them to quit altogether.

These measures, they say, can help reduce the number of vape users and minimise the health risks as the government considers whether to impose a national ban.

While there is no federal ban yet, several states including Johor, Terengganu, Kelantan and Penang have already introduced their own restrictions to curb vape use and protect public health.

READ NEXT: Zooplankton – the ‘unsung hero’ that helps fight global warming