MOH urged to introduce regulations that differentiate vape from cigarettes

IN conjunction with World Vape Day today, the Malaysian Vaper Alliance (MVA) has called for the Health Ministry (MOH) to introduce regulations that differentiates the regulatory treatment on vape from cigarettes given its potential as a harm reduction and smoking cessation tool.

This is because there are evidences from international public health bodies showing that vaping is less harmful than cigarettes, according to MVA’s president Khairil Azizi Khairuddin.

“The MOH needs to acknowledge the fact that while vape is not risk-free, it is significantly less harmful than cigarettes. Many smokers have also chosen to switch to vaping to stop smoking and it works,” he pointed out.

“I was a smoker myself and I quit permanently with the help of vape. I managed to reduce all the risks I may have related to cigarette smoking and I hope that all smokers can have the same experience as me.”

Khairil Azizi Khairuddin

MVA is a non-profit advocacy group that champions the use of vape products to help smokers quit.

MVA’s work is dedicated to empowering consumers and representing their interests in various legislative, policy making, and rule-making arenas.

Khairil also stressed the need for upcoming laws that will be tabled in Parliament by the MOH to regulate vape to include safety and quality standards requirement to protect consumers.

“At the moment, consumers are exposed to the risk of using unregulated products. Safety and quality standards requirements must be included in the law to ensure consumers are protected,” he opined.

“Products in market need to undergo checks and the ingredients must also be verified to comply with laws before it can be offered for sale.”

MVA is participating for the first time in the World Vape Day 2022 organised by World Vaper Alliance (WVA). World Vape Day is an annual event that brings the vaping community worldwide to celebrate harm reduction together.

The aim is to raise awareness about the relative safety of vape products and their potential as harm reduction and smoking cessation tools. This is especially important now as more and more people are getting the wrong message about vaping and tobacco harm reduction.

“After a year in operations, MVA is aiming to expand its network and find more like-minded members on board to advocate for vape to be one of the methods for tobacco harm reduction with appropriate regulations,” Khairil pointed out.

“MVA believes that vape has a huge role to play to encourage cigarette smokers to quit smoking by switching to vape that is proven to be less harmful and different from traditional cigarettes.” – May 30, 2022

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