IPOH, July 21 — The Perak government will prioritise the issue of electronic cigarette or vape addiction among students to prevent it from spreading especially to primary schools.

State Education, Science, Technology and Environment Committee chairman, Dr Abdul Aziz Bari said that there was no report on vape addictions among primary school pupils in Perak, to date.

‘’Indeed, we are serious about the issue and the State Education Department will take action if it is true that this unhealthy practice is prevalent among the students here,’’ he said.

He said this when met by reporters at the 2019 State Level Nationhood Narrative Competition ceremony here today.

He was commenting on reports by several local newspapers that children as young as 10 years who were found to be addicted to vape and e-cigarette including nano stick vape, flavours and numerous vape smoking utensils of various sizes reported in schools in other states.

The existence of a myriad of small vape utensils among others in the forms of pens, wrist watches, lighters and pen drives up to the size of a match box was said to be among the causes of vape becoming a new addiction of school students and pupils.

‘’It is part of the disciplinary problems and I will discuss with the Perak Education Department director to look at the strategies and matters that must be done to ensure this matter does not worsen in this big state,’’ he said.

He said that the issue was not something new because cigarette addiction among students had been around for a long time and was categorised as a disciplinary problem. — Bernama