Now, vape group say will back Health Ministry’s law for generational tobacco ban

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The Malaysia E-Vaporisers & Tobacco Alternative Association (Mevta) today threw its support behind the Health Ministry’s proposed law to prohibit the sale of tobacco, electronic cigarettes and vaporisers to Malaysians born after 2005.

After previously urging the government to reconsider, it said it would now work with the ministry to regulate the industry under the proposed legislation dubbed a generational end-game (GEG).

“After receiving a clear explanation from YB Khairy Jamaluddin and the FCTC Department of the Ministry of Health Malaysia, the association has agreed to support the proposed generational end-game in the Tobacco and Smoking Products Control Bill 2022 to be presented by YB Khairy Jamaluddin in Parliament.

“The association has also agreed to work with him on the issue of regulation of the Malaysian vape industry. Finally, after our industry has not had any regulation for a long time, this Bill, if approved, will regulate the vape industry in Malaysia.

“Therefore, we sincerely hope that all Members of Parliament set aside their political ideological differences and unite to support this Bill in the Dewan Rakyat later,” the group said in a statement today.

FCTC refers to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Yesterday, Mevta together with the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) jointly urged the government to reconsider the Bill, warning that the move could devastate an industry worth RM2.27 billion.

Mevta president Mohamad Neezam Talib said that while cigarettes and vapes were different and should not be equated, both were lumped together under the proposed law.

The two groups had said that the government should instead develop a regulatory framework for the vape industry, which has been repeatedly delayed, and which would classify them differently from tobacco products.

Last week, New Straits Times (NST) reported Health Minister Khairy as saying the Bill was approved by the Cabinet on July 13.

He reportedly said that the Bill would be tabled in the current parliamentary meeting.

The proposed Bill essentially prevents those born on January 1, 2005 and onwards from ever purchasing tobacco and tobacco-related products, even when they reach 18 years’ old or the current legal age for consumption.