Drop GEG provisions and pass tobacco control Bill, says think tank

 

The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy has blamed vape and e-cigarettes as part of the problem for nicotine addiction.

KUALA LUMPUR: A think tank has proposed that provisions relating to the “generational endgame” in the current version of the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill be dropped to ensure passage of the Bill.

Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy chief executive Azrul Khalib said these provisions, which were found to be contentious and unpalatable by members of the previous Parliament, would have to be a fight for another day.

“However, we urgently need the rest of the provisions contained in the Bill, including those regulating vape,” he said in a statement.

Azrul was responding to reports that the health ministry was fuming over the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping products in front of a school, news of which went viral recently.

He said as long as Bills such as the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill were not passed by Parliament, any effort to protect these groups from such marketing ploys would be futile.

He said the sales and marketing of vape and its products remained unregulated in the country, and that over 1.6 million Malaysians were vaping.

“And the numbers are rising.

“As a consequence of the lack of legislation or regulation, nothing is able to prevent, restrict or prohibit the manufacturing, marketing and sale of vape products that not only are deliberately intended for young consumers but also contain high nicotine content.”

According to Azrul, vape liquids sold in Malaysia could contain up to 5% nicotine, with the selling price being between RM10 and RM20.

In contrast, the maximum strength permitted in Europe and even Indonesia is only 20mg or 2%.

Such high concentrations even in small amounts are toxic for children, he said.

“Unfortunately, in the absence of the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill, there is currently a massive gap in existing legislation regarding the sale of products containing nicotine, specifically vape.

“Sales of cheap vape disposables containing high concentrations of liquid nicotine currently cannot be prevented, restricted or banned. Anyone, including children, can buy them.”

Azrul blamed vape and e-cigarettes as part of the problem for nicotine addiction.

He said vapers found that though they might have stopped smoking cigarettes, their addiction had been transferred to e-cigarettes and vape. This has led to some smoking both tobacco and e-cigarettes.

He also said children as young as 10 were becoming addicted to nicotine.

He said this was why the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill proposed to regulate the vape industry in the same way that the tobacco industry was currently regulated, especially with regards to advertisements, marketing, promotion and sponsorships.

The Bill needed to be passed urgently, Azrul said. “It will help rein in and regulate vape which has gone out of control in this country.” - FMT