Health advocates concerned as vape billboards go up in Selangor

Health advocates have raised concerns over billboard advertisements promoting vape products put up in Selangor recently.

They said the advertisements, spotted in Selayang, were a result of the government’s decision to remove liquid nicotine from the Poisons Act.

The government said it did so to make way for the tobacco control bill, which will also regulate the vape industry, but it has yet to be tabled in Parliament.

This left a regulatory loophole for products using liquid nicotine, including vapes.

Pharmacist Fahmi Hassan said the billboards raise questions on whether the vape industry is able to self-regulate, as proposed by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

“Is this what they call harm reduction? Does this not attract the attention of teenagers and children?” he asked on Twitter.

In a written reply in Dewan Negara last month, Zaliha said the ministry has engaged the e-cigarette and vape industry and reminded them to self-regulate, especially in targeting young people.

Hard-fought battle

Meanwhile, Malaysian Medical Council member Dr Khairul Hafidz Alkhair Khairul Amin said the billboard shows the urgency of the tobacco control bill.

“We fought hard and won the battle against open advertising of smoking products, yet now vape products are advertised openly.

“This is why the tobacco control bill should be sped up. This is the reason. Can’t you see?” he tweeted.

Advocacy group Selangor Bebas Asap Rokok (Selbar) also questioned how such products can be advertised openly despite the long ban on the advertisement of smoking products.

Earlier, health NGOs filed a lawsuit against the government for removing liquid nicotine from the Poisons Act, resulting in a regulatory lacuna.

Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said when he was minister, the industry had strongly lobbied the government to do so but he had refused.

Affecting young people

Health professionals have raised concern over what they believe to be a rise in e-cigarette- or vaping-use-associated lung injury (Evali), including among young adults and children.

The e-cigarette and vape industry has been criticised globally for targeting young people in its promotional activities and hooking teenagers onto nicotine.

This includes sponsoring entertainment and sporting events attended by teenagers.

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim earlier this year was criticised for wearing the jersey of football team BRM FC Kuala Kangsar, which had a vape company's logo on it.

He later said he was unaware of it and disapproves of sponsorship of sports teams by the vape industry.- Mkini