Malaysia's Perlis State to Ban All Vape Sales Starting August 1

Key points:

1.The government of Selangor, Malaysia has announced that the sale of e-cigarette products will be officially banned starting on August 1st.

2.Official statements indicate that although measures may not completely eliminate use, the goal is to control the trend and reduce adolescent exposure to risks.

3.The background of the events includes two campus accidents related to student use of e-cigarettes, prompting the expedited implementation of new policies.

4.This measure is consistent with the trend in other states in Malaysia, and cross-state online sales at the central government level still require higher-level regulatory coordination.

According to a report by Utusan on May 14th, the government of Perlis, Malaysia has announced a total ban on the sale of e-cigarettes within the state starting from August 1st. This decision is based on a ban issued by the Perlis State Fatwa Committee in 2022, and the state government states that it aims to curb the potential threat posed by e-cigarettes to young people.

The Minister of Health in Johor, Mohd. Shukri Ramli, stated in an interview after the state executive council meeting that although the measure is unlikely to completely stop the use of e-cigarettes, "at least the government has taken action to safeguard the health and safety of the local youth." According to records, there have been two cases of students using e-cigarettes reported in the state in the past six months.

According to a state government report, the Kajang Municipal Council (MPK) will no longer issue or renew business licenses related to the sale of e-cigarettes as of August 1st. Currently, there are estimated to be less than 50 practitioners engaged in the sale of e-cigarettes in Selangor.

Mohamed expressed hope that the federal government will increase regulation on the online sale of e-cigarettes while implementing controls at the state level to improve overall enforcement effectiveness.

This policy is consistent with the existing bans on sales in several states in Malaysia. Johor state has implemented a comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes since 2016, followed by Kelantan and Terengganu which have also taken similar measures for health and religious reasons. Malacca state is considering implementing restrictions in specific areas, while Selangor is pushing for stricter regulations through local government action.