Malaysia’s Kedah State to Ban All Vape Sales, Retailers Ordered to Shut Down by Year-End

Key points:

1.The government of Kedah state in Malaysia has requested e-cigarette businesses to cease operations by December, giving them a 7-month transition period.

2.The government's action is aimed at protecting public health and curbing the threat of synthetic drugs.

3.Apart from Kedah, Terengganu and Penang states have also announced similar bans.

4.Since 2024, the state of Kedah will strictly enforce the law and impose severe penalties on violators.

According to a report by Buletin, the government of the state of Kedah, Malaysia has officially announced that e-cigarette businesses in the state must cease operations by the end of December. This ban is in place to ensure the health of all residents in the state and to curb the threat of synthetic drugs.

The Chairman of the Kedah State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee, Mansor Zakaria, stated that the government will not extend the deadline and urged businesses to utilize the 7-month transition period to move towards other commercial sectors. He emphasized that this decision was reached during a meeting this week with all local authorities in Kedah.

Currently, sales of e-cigarettes are strictly restricted under the Public Health Tobacco Products Control Act 852 of 2024. Prior to this, the states of Penang and Selangor announced on April 24 that the sale of e-cigarettes would be completely banned starting from August 1.

Kedah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has also announced that the government will no longer renew e-cigarette sales licenses this year. This policy is aimed at addressing the issue of synthetic drug abuse, particularly its spread among students.

Some e-cigarette industry players expressed disappointment, believing they are operating legally and should not be grouped with those selling illicit substances. They hope the government can provide a longer adjustment period. Mansour responded that comprehensive enforcement activities will begin early next year, and for businesses still selling e-cigarettes after the deadline, the government will take actions such as raids and fines.

In regards to convenience stores and other establishments selling e-cigarettes, Mansor pointed out that enforcement in this area falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health (KKM). He suggested that the Ministry of Health should cancel all production and sales permits for e-cigarettes at the federal level in order to fully address the issue, emphasizing that the central government must take decisive action to completely ban the sale of e-cigarettes.