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KUALA LUMPUR – An advocacy group has joined the outcry against Putrajaya’s decision to de-list liquid or gel nicotine used in vapes and e-cigarettes as controlled substances under the Poisons Act 1952 effective April 1, questioning the “rushed” move.
The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control said despite the apparent haste in removing the substances to allow for taxation, relevant government agencies are “little prepared” to collect the said tax.
It claimed that a voluntary registration exercise is only now being carried out for e-cigarette and vape manufacturers to register their companies and products, with the taxation to be imposed April 30 onwards.
“There is little transparency on actual taxation measures, so it is not understood even in terms of timelines when the actual tax collection would even begin.
“This calls into question the unseemly haste and rationale to exempt nicotine and expose young Malaysians to harm in order to collect some revenue – which cannot even be done at present.
“Were there financial motives behind the move?” the council, consisting of four civil bodies, questioned in a statement today.
It added that its engagement with Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa seeking for the ministry to reconsider the policy had “little success”.
“The minister herself stated in the meeting that she had carried out the move with a heavy heart, but had to do it because of economic considerations.
“While many questions abound on the rationale, timeliness, and motivations behind the decision, the bitter fact remaining is that nicotine is now readily available for all and sundry with increased exposure for our children and young people without any control mechanisms in place.”
As such, the council urged the ministry to put other active measures in place to limit children being exposed to vapes and e-cigarettes, noting that the the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022, which will set regulations for the devices, must be tabled in May as scheduled.
Previously, health care groups had slammed the move to de-list nicotine used in gels and liquids as being “exceptionally regressive” and a shock to those in the public health sector, especially tobacco-control advocates.
On Thursday, Malaysian Vape Industry Advocacy president Rizani Zakaria said vape sector figures have yet to meet with ministry representatives, leading to the industry lacking clear details on the permitted nicotine levels, prohibited substances in vape liquids and gels, as well as product specifications permitted for sales and marketing.
The Malaysian Society for Harm Reduction had also called on the government to amend existing laws regulating vape products as it will take some time for the new legislation to come into force. – The Vibes, April 8, 2023