PROHIBITING the use and sale of vape products is not an effective solution to curb vape misuse among minors.
This is the answer of the Malaysian Vape Industry Advocacy (MVIA) in response to critics which have called on the Government to ban the sale and use of electronic cigarettes or vape in the country.
According to the Malaysian Vape Industri Advocacy (MVIA) president Rizani Zakaria, such issue can only be contained – for good – if regulations are introduced.
“The main issue now is the absence of specific rules or laws to regulate the vape industry so that these products do not fall into the hands of minors,” he opined.
“If we look at the tobacco industry or the alcohol industry, there are regulations issued to prohibit the use and sale to minors. With regulations, this issue can be addressed in a wholesome manner.”
MVIA is a non-profit advocacy group that supports Malaysian vape entrepreneurs and businesses. It aims to represent the Malaysian vape industry and provide a voice for the industry with government bodies, regulators, enforcement agencies and other interested parties.
In Rizani’s view, any proposed ban on the use or sale of vape products must take into account the value of the RM2.27 bil industry which has provided employment opportunities to 15,000 Malaysians and more than 3,000 vape businesses in the country.
This is because the proposed ban will impact the development of the vape industry which is expected to grow to RM10 bil in the next few years. Indirectly, it will also affect an industry that has the potential to generate more economic activity, employment opportunities and boost the country’s revenue.
“We need to emulate countries like the UK and New Zealand, both of which have proven to be successful in addressing a variety of vape-related issues, including curbing the use among minors by creating comprehensive regulations for the vape industry,” asserted Rizani.
“In fact, this has also helped to reduce the rate of conventional smokers (tobacco cigarettes) in both countries by regulating the vape industry.”
Above all else, Public Health England (PHE), a public health agency in the UK, has confirmed that the health risks from vape use are 95% less harmful than traditional tobacco cigarettes.
Separately, the Malaysian Insights & Perspectives on Vape survey conducted by MVIA also found that 88% of Malaysian vapers who previously smoked cigarettes have now successfully quit smoking with the aid of vape. – May 31, 2021
