Perak to stop issuing new vape licences, aiming for a phased “zero sales” outcome after October

Key Points

• Goal: Perak to phase toward “zero vape sales” no later than after October

• Licensing: no new vape sales licences issued by Perak local authorities from Jan. 1, 2026

• Transition: existing unexpired licences may continue operating until expiry

• Federal update: amendments to tobacco-control laws for a nationwide ban are being prepared and expected to be tabled soon; a gazetted national ban would override

• Enforcement: local authorities will act against businesses that continue selling after the ban takes effect

2Firsts, January 5, 2026, 14:04 – According to Oriental Daily, Perak executive councillor Datuk Sivanesan said the state government aims to progressively achieve a “zero” level of vape sales no later than after October, as vape operators had been clearly notified in October 2025.

He said that if the federal government completes legislative amendments and gazettes a nationwide ban on vape sales before then, the national law would take precedence and Perak’s transitional arrangements would no longer apply.

Sivanesan said the federal government has begun studying amendments to relevant tobacco-control laws to ban e-cigarettes nationwide. He said several countries, including India, China, Thailand and Singapore, have fully banned e-cigarettes, and added that the health minister’s stance is firm, with related research and legal review completed by the Attorney General’s Chambers, and that amendment documents are expected to be tabled in Parliament soon.

At a press conference, Sivanesan, who oversees Perak’s human resources, health, Indian community and national unity portfolios, said the Perak government passed a vape sales ban policy in October 2025 and moved at the state level amid growing concerns about youth access and misuse.

He said that as the federal government has not yet imposed a comprehensive ban, Perak has acted within its powers by stopping the issuance of new vape sales licences as a preventive and control measure.

He said police research showed some traders were abusing the current system by supplying substances unsuitable for vaping, posing health risks, with most affected being young people. He said vapes were readily available, including in shopping malls.

He said he had announced that from Jan. 1, 2026, all local authorities in Perak would no longer issue any new vape sales licences. Licences already issued and not yet expired may continue operating until they expire. He said the state must provide a reasonable transition period, noting that licences issued as late as December could remain valid for up to 11 months, requiring a gradual phase-out while monitoring federal amendment progress.

Asked what operators should do with remaining inventory after licences expire, Sivanesan said operators had been notified in October 2025 that licences would not be renewed and should have made arrangements in advance.

He said some vape companies had appealed to him over livelihood concerns, and that the state therefore provided enough time for operators to transition, with companies aware they cannot continue vape business after the transition ends. He also stressed the measures would not affect retail employees’ jobs and pay, citing convenience-store staff as general sales workers, and said employers cannot cut wages on that basis.

He said local authorities would take action in accordance with the law against any business that continues selling vapes after the ban takes effect.

Photo credit: Oriental Daily News