Malaysia the Wild West now, says KJ over vape sale to minors

 

The health ministry exempted nicotine liquids and gels used in e-cigarettes and vape products from poison control on April 1, drawing brickbats from health groups.

PETALING JAYA: Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has likened Malaysia to the “Wild West” over the open sale of vape to those under 18 years old.

Khairy was commenting on a documentary published by Al Jazeera’s 101 East, in which six vape shops sold nicotine-based vape products to a young buyer who identified herself as “very new” to vaping.

101 East claimed that none of the shops asked for the buyer’s identity card to confirm that she was not a minor.

Khairy acknowledged that there were enforcement issues in the past, but he maintained that the health ministry constantly took action against the sale of vape to minors, while vape products could not be advertised openly.

“Now it’s the Wild West in Malaysia. There’s no enforcement because there is no law against vape. I’m sorry it’s come to this,” he said in a Twitter post.

On April 1, the health ministry published a gazette notice exempting nicotine liquids and gels used in e-cigarettes and vape products from poison control, a move that drew brickbats from various health groups.

Khairy, who served as the health minister under the Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration, had said this meant that no action can be taken over the sale and marketing of vape until a new law is in place.

Three NGOs – the Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, the Malaysian Green Lung Association, and Voice of the Children – have since filed for a judicial review for leave in the High Court.

Naming health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa and the government as respondents, they are seeking a court order to nullify Zaliha’s decision on March 31 to amend the Poisons Act.

The applicants contend that the minister failed to properly consider and engage with the Poisons Board, which had unanimously voted against the nicotine exemption.

Zaliha had said the new tobacco control bill would regulate all smoking products, even nicotine liquids and gels, used in e-cigarettes and vape products.

The proposed law seeks to ban the use, purchase and sale of cigarettes and vape products to those born after 2007.

While the bill, known as the Generational Endgame (GEG) Bill, was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat last month, it has been referred to a parliamentary committee yet again for review. - FMT