KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) called on the Ministry of Health (MoH) to conduct nationwide checks and raids on sales of nicotine products by those who are not licensed under the Malaysian Poisons Act 1952, especially vape retailers.

Its president Amrahi Buang said that MPS is supportive of the Tobacco Product and Smoking Control Bill or the Generation End Game (GEG) Bill and that under the Poisons Act, nicotine is a Class C poison that can only be procured and dispensed by licensed pharmacists and medical practitioners.

"Vape outlets do not employ pharmacists or doctors for that matter. While the delay would see the GEG bill return to a newly appointed Parliament Select Committee to further improve the bill, there is no reason for the Health Ministry to not conduct checks and raids on vape outlets.

"The last publicised raid on vape premises was done way back in November 2019, long before Malaysia entered its Covid-19 pandemic phase. It is the right remedial action via nationwide raids since public wellbeing has been taken for a ride for several years now while we await for the GEG Bill to be passed,” he said in a statement here.

Last week, the Malaysia E-Vaporisers & Tobacco Alternative Association (Mevta) pledged its support behind the Health Ministry’s proposed law to prohibit the sale of tobacco, electronic cigarettes and vaporisers to Malaysians born after 2005, saying it would work with the ministry.

It had previously warned that the move could devastate an industry worth RM2.27 billion and insisted that while cigarettes and vapes were different and should not be equated, both were lumped together under the proposed law.

Together with the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association, Mevta said the government should develop a regulatory framework for the vape industry, which has been repeatedly delayed, and which would classify them differently from tobacco products.

The Bill, proposed by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has been brought to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee for further scrutiny after resistance from MPs and the public.

The Bill was tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat last Wednesday and came up for a second reading on Monday with the goal of passing it yesterday.

However, there was still resistance to the Bill even though several tweaks were made to it.

Under the proposed Bill, children born from January 1, 2007 onwards are prohibited from smoking, buying or possessing any type of smoking products, including electronic cigarettes or vape products, even after they reach the age of 18 years old.

The law is targeted for implementation by 2025. Those flouting the law may be punished with a maximum fine of RM500, a reduction from the RM5,000 proposed initially.