Malaysia's Nicotine Deregulation Draws Global Concern at WHA
The World Health Assembly (WHA), a decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), recently highlighted the deregulation of liquid nicotine in Malaysia at its 76th meeting in Geneva. CodeBlue's editor-in-chief Boo Su-Lyn shared that the Malaysian government had legalized the sale of nicotine-based e-cigarettes and vaping products, including sales to minors, with no regulations, following the removal of liquid nicotine control under the Poisons Act 1952.
In a panel discussion organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the WHO, Hania Farhan, the senior director of research and methodology at global analytics firm Gallup, expressed surprise at this decision. An international Gallup survey found majority support for health-related policy measures, including higher taxes on tobacco products and prohibitions on smoking in public places, across five economically and culturally diverse countries.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa explained that the Malaysian government's decision to deregulate liquid nicotine last March was aimed at facilitating the taxation of e-cigarette and vape liquids with nicotine. She mentioned plans to push a tobacco and vape control bill through Parliament "as soon as possible". The New Straits Times reported that the Finance Ministry had sought the Health Ministry's support to legalize the nicotine vape industry.
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