Malaysian Medical Association Calls for Nationwide Vapes Ban

Malaysian Medical Association Vape Ban

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) calls for a nationwide prohibition on all vaping products, citing severe health risks, youth addiction, and rising healthcare costs.

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is strongly advocating for a complete nationwide ban on all vaping and e-cigarette products, citing significant public health concerns. The MMA emphasizes the well-documented harmful health effects, high risk of abuse, addictive nature, and substantial healthcare costs associated with conditions like e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI).

The MMA commended the state governments of Johor, Terengganu, Kelantan, and Perlis for their decisive actions in banning or restricting the sale of vaping products, reflecting a growing recognition of the serious health risks, particularly to young people. However, the association urges the federal government to implement a consistent nationwide ban to protect all Malaysians, stating that public health must take precedence over profit.

The call for a ban is underscored by rising healthcare burdens. According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), 41 EVALI cases were reported between 2019 and 2024, with each case costing the government RM150,000 to treat. The National Poison Centre also recorded 111 incidents related to e-cigarette or vape liquid exposure from 2015 to 2023.

Alarmingly, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2023 indicated a 600% increase in e-cigarette users in Malaysia over the last 12 years, with prevalence among 15 to 24-year-olds rising from 1.1% in 2011 to 8.6% in 2023. The MMA highlighted nearly 20,000 reported cases of students vaping in schools last year, despite age restrictions, and expressed deep concern over reports of students as young as 13 using vapes mixed with drugs. The MMA firmly believes a nationwide ban is crucial to safeguard the health of current and future generations.

Matthew Ma
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