Consumer Association Urges Malaysia to Ban E-cigarettes to Prevent Nicotine Addiction among Children

The Consumers Association of Penang in Malaysia is urging the Ministry of Health to immediately ban all electronic cigarette products to prevent a large number of children from becoming addicted to nicotine.

According to data from the World Health Organization, electronic cigarettes contain nicotine and other toxic substances, which have a significant impact on users who are exposed to second-hand aerosols. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and there is evidence to suggest that non-smoking minors who use e-cigarettes are twice as likely to smoke traditional cigarettes later in life.

According to research by CAP, children in Malaysia are able to easily purchase cheap electronic cigarettes because sellers do not inquire about the buyer's age. Children as young as 8 years old can purchase vaping devices and multiple children may even share one.

Mohideen Abdul Kader, a member of the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), stated in a letter that although electronic nicotine delivery systems were only commercialized in Malaysia in early 2015, the number of people using these products in the country has increased from 600,000 in 2016 to 1.2 million in 2019. The National Treatment Centre (University of Malaya in George Town) reported approximately 30 cases of e-cigarette-related poisoning from 2015 to 2020, with most occurring in children aged 1-4 who are at high risk of death after ingesting e-cigarette liquid.

In Malaysia, the incidence of childhood cancer among children under 15 is nearly 77.4 cases per one million. Several studies have shown an increasing risk of cancer among those who use electronic cigarettes, or vaping. A study published in February 2022 found that vapers faced a higher risk of cancer than non-smokers. Evidence also suggests that US males and females aged 18 and above with a history of vaping are at a higher risk of bladder and lung cancer compared to those who have never smoked. Preclinical studies on mice exposed to e-cigarette vapors have shown increased incidence of lung adenocarcinoma and bladder urothelial hyperplasia.

Moon-shong Tang, from the New York University School of Medicine, has commented that "users of e-cigarettes, regardless of their age, have a higher risk of developing cancer than non-users". He told Lancet Oncology that in order to control childhood cancer, Malaysia should "prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors".

According to Subbarow, over 20 countries have banned the sale of electronic cigarette products, and other nations including Australia, Norway and Canada have also implemented restrictions.

Malaysia's Health Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, has proposed the "2022 Tobacco and Vaping Control Bill," which will impose fines on individuals born on or after January 1st, 2007, who sell tobacco or e-cigarette products. The bill is aimed at curbing the usage of tobacco and vaping products among younger generations.

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