Health Ministry moving towards total ban on vape use and sales

SHAH ALAM - The Health Ministry is taking steps towards a complete ban on the use and sale of electronic cigarettes or vapes, aiming for stronger measures to address health concerns.

Malay daily newspaper Berita Harian reported that its minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ban, which fell under the Federal Government’s jurisdiction, must be implemented carefully, planned by considering legal, enforcement and public health factors.

“A thorough review is underway to evaluate the effectiveness of current controls and to determine whether more comprehensive policies are needed to protect public health,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

Dr Dzulkefly was responding to Datuk Ahmad Saad (PN–Pokok Sena), who asked about the ministry's stance on several state governments that have stopped issuing licenses for vape businesses.

He welcomed the move by six states, which were Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Kedah and Pahang to discontinue or refuse renewals for vape retail licenses.

"The ministry welcomes this decision as the authority to license business premises falls under the jurisdiction of local authorities within the state governments.

"This approach also aligns with our aspiration to protect public health. However, the current control only involves banning the sale of smoking products at specific premises such as specialty stores and does not cover retail or convenience stores," he added.

According to him, for now the ministry is focusing on strict regulation of smoking products through the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which covers product registration, advertising bans, sales restrictions and no-smoking zones.

As part of enforcement efforts, the ministry will launch an integrated nationwide operation called Ops Selamat Paru-Paru (Ops Selamat PaPa) this Friday to ensure effective implementation of Act 852.

“We want Act 852 enforcement to go beyond license withdrawals, as done by the six states, because vape products are still widely accessible,” Dr Dzulkefly said.