Malaysia's E-Cigarette Industry Welcomes Regulatory Measures

On March 29, the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) stated that they welcome the government's regulatory measures on electronic cigarette products and believe that removing nicotine from the Poisons Act's control list is a positive signal.

Electronic cigarettes lack appropriate regulatory control.

Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas, the president of MRECA, stated in a press release that the removal of nicotine from the Poison Act is a positive signal and will introduce regulatory laws for the electronic cigarette industry.

Azwan stated that "we support the government's initiatives as it will introduce regulations for e-cigarette products." He believes that placing nicotine-containing e-cigarette products under the Poison Act would not be helpful for regulation.

It is not an appropriate framework and therefore not effective in regulating electronic cigarette products," he said. He stated that in developed countries such as the UK, New Zealand, and Canada, which regulate electronic cigarettes, nicotine-containing e-cigarette oils are not governed by the Poison Act.

He added, "There needs to be a proper regulatory framework in place to oversee these products. Therefore, the government is taking the right steps to remove nicotine, which is contained in electronic cigarette products, from the regulation of the Poison Act.

He believes that revisions to existing laws, such as the 2004 Tobacco Control Regulations, are necessary so that e-cigarette liquids containing nicotine can be appropriately regulated.

Since the announcement of the 2023 budget, the government has declared that it will regulate electronic cigarette products. However, the Ministry of Health has yet to consult with industry participants. "We call on the government to involve the industry in discussions regarding the regulatory framework for electronic cigarette products," said Azwan.

The "Generational Endgame Plan" (GEG) requires further investigation.

Meanwhile, Azwan believes that the "Generation End Plan" (GEG) bill needs further in-depth research and consultation with all stakeholders, particularly industry participants.

Azwan stated, "Before making any decision, further assessment of its impact is necessary.

On March 28th, the Poisons Board in Malaysia held a meeting to discuss removing nicotine from the Poisons Act. Should this modification pass, Malaysia would allow the legal sale of e-cigarettes to anyone. Currently, Malaysia's CTPR only applies to the sale of traditional cigarettes and requires buyers to be over 18 years old.

The Malaysian government has proposed the "End Generational Smoking" (GEG) Bill, which aims to prohibit anyone born in 2007 or later from using tobacco and electronic cigarette products. This has garnered widespread attention from various parties in Malaysia.

Related news:

Malaysia plans to remove nicotine from the "Poisons Act" and pave the way for the taxation of e-cigarettes.

The Malaysian Harm Reduction Association is calling for the establishment of an independent committee to reassess the potential of e-cigarettes in reducing smoking rates.

The plan is to impose taxes of 1.56 billion yuan on electronic cigarettes, and the Malaysian Electronic Cigarette Retail Association is urging the government to set a reasonable tax rate.

Reference:

The Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRECA) has expressed support for the government's decision to regulate vaping products.