THE Malaysia E-Vaporisers and Tobacco Alternative Association (MEVTA) has urged all industry players to obtain the necessary licences and approvals as well as to fully comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing the sale of vape and tobacco alternative products in Malaysia.
This is essential to maintain a well-regulated ecosystem, according to the NGO that represents interests of the vape and electronic nicotine delivery system industry in Malaysia.
For starters, licensed and compliant premises operate according to established standards, thus ensuring product accountability, traceability and consumer safety.
“Recent enforcement actions and raids were found to be largely focused on approval and licensing issues,” observed MEVTA president Mohamad Neezam Talib.
“Based on available information, no drugs or hazardous substances were discovered at licensed retail premises. This demonstrates that shops operating legally and under regulatory oversight do not sell prohibited or dangerous products.”
Over the past several weeks, various operations and raids have been conducted by authorities in several states, including Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang.
These operations involved inspections of vape retail premises, product seizures and verification of licensing documentation. Following the large-scale nationwide crackdown, police have seized more than RM8.87 mil worth of illegal e-cigarettes and vape products with 154 premises inspected across 13 states..
The operations were carried out by multiple enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with licensing requirements, labelling standards, product content regulations and related taxes.
In most reported cases, actions were primarily focused on administrative and documentation compliance while licensed and registered premises were found to have fully cooperated with authorities throughout the inspection process.
Blanket action unfair
Licensing compliance issues are administrative matters that can be addressed through clear guidelines, transparent processes and reasonable transition periods.
As such, the legitimate industry stands ready to comply with all stipulated requirements provided there is clarity and consistency in policy implementation across all levels of enforcement.
“MEVTA believes that a balanced approach between regulation and enforcement is crucial to achieving public health objectives without undermining legitimate businesses that operate responsibly,” stressed Neezam.
“Blanket actions that do not distinguish between legal and illegal operators may send the wrong signal to the market.”
He further noted that measures that disrupt or shut down legitimate premises could create space for the black market and unregulated products to flourish.
Such developments may increase the risk of illegal hazardous substances entering the market, thereby compromising consumer safety and complicating enforcement and monitoring efforts.
In this regard, MEVTA calls for strengthened and continuous dialogue between the industry and the government to identify practical, effective and evidence-based solutions.
Strategic collaboration is vital to ensure that the tobacco alternatives industry develops within a clear, responsible and safe legal framework.
MEVTA remains committed to working closely with authorities and all stakeholders to ensure that the industry is regulated in a responsible, safe and sustainable manner, for the benefit of consumers and the nation. – Focus Malaysia
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