Limit exposure of children to vape, e-cigarettes, govt told

 

The government’s decision to exempt nicotine from the Poisons Act has come under fire from various quarters.

PETALING JAYA: A tobacco control group has urged the government to actively limit the exposure of children and youths to nicotine in vape and electronic cigarette devices, following Putrajaya’s removal of nicotine liquids and gels from the poisons list.

The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) said the relevant ministries and agencies should work together on educational campaigns to prevent children and youths from using vape and e-cigarette devices containing nicotine.

It said it was crucial to implement measures to limit the exposure of children and youths to nicotine in vape and e-cigarette devices as there had yet to be significant health legislation to prevent the harmful effects of using such products.

The government needs to table the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill in its original form as quickly as possible.

“The prime minister has given his commitment that this will be done at the next Parliament sitting in May. We implore that this timeline be adhered to without further excuses,” MCTC said in a statement today.

It said the bill was urgently required as it contained comprehensive measures for vaping and e-cigarettes, including prohibiting the use of such products by those under the age of 18.

The removal of nicotine liquids and gel, used in e-cigarettes and for vaping, was gazetted on March 31, leading to criticism of health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa for having reportedly used her ministerial powers to overrule the Poisons Board’s unanimous recommendation against exemption for the two products.

Yesterday, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said Zaliha had admitted that the government’s decision to exempt nicotine from the Poisons Act, in order to tax vape liquids, was “not an ideal scenario” as the bill to regulate the sale of smoking products had yet to be passed.

MMA said Zaliha also admitted that she had signed off the exemption with a “heavy heart”.

She had said this at a meeting with MMA, the Malaysian Pharmacists Society, National Cancer Society of Malaysia, MCTC, as well as ministry officials on Thursday. - FMT