KUALA LUMPUR (July 28): The Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) on Monday voiced its opposition to the Health Ministry’s proposal to ban the sale and use of certain vape devices, warning that such a prohibition would push consumers towards unregulated black market products and exacerbate public health risks.
MVCC secretary general Ridhwan Rosli stated that historical evidence shows bans on legal vape products often backfire, exposing users to illicit, potentially dangerous alternatives.
"In fact, such a move would only worsen the situation by driving consumers towards the black market, where products are unregulated, unsafe, and widely accessible to minors," he said in a statement.
His remarks came after Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced in Parliament earlier on Monday that the ministry intends to ban open-system vape devices.
Open-system vape products refer to vaping devices where the user can manually refill the vaping liquid into a tank or pod, as opposed to cartridge-based or "closed-system" products that use pre-filled, disposable cartridges or pods containing the vaping liquid. While open-system vape products allow users more control over their vaping experience, they are also more susceptible to misuse.
Citing ministry data, Dzulkefly said up to 80% of confiscated vape devices were found to contain controlled substances such as methamphetamine and cannabinoids.
Ridhwan argued that banning the legal sale of open-system products would “unfairly penalise responsible businesses” that comply with existing regulations and support national harm reduction strategies.
He also highlighted the ineffectiveness of bans, citing six states — Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Kedah, and Pahang — that have already ceased issuing or renewing vape retail licences. Despite these bans, usage remains widespread, he said, with more than 150,000 users recorded in Johor and over 30,000 in Kelantan.
Ridhwan also cited Singapore, where despite a blanket ban on vape products, usage increased from 3.9% to 5.2% of the population between the third quarter of 2021 and the fourth quarter of 2023, based on data from Milieu Insight.
Back to Malaysia, he said the vape industry is now a significant part of the local economy, valued at RM3.48 billion in 2023. "It supports approximately 7,500 general retail shops, 2,500 specialty vape outlets, and provides employment to over 31,500 Malaysians as of 2022, many of whom are Bumiputera entrepreneurs," he said.
On that note, he welcomed the government’s decision to form an expert committee to review the national vaping policy but emphasised that the legal vape industry must be included in the process.
"To be truly effective, the legal vape industry must be included in these discussions, alongside addiction and harm reduction experts," he said. “Excluding the industry risks creating policies that fail to address the root causes of misuse.”
He urged the government to prioritise enforcement over prohibition and adopt a collaborative regulatory approach. “With stronger compliance and regulation, we can protect public health without undermining a legitimate and growing sector of the economy,” he added.