THE Government’s decision to include vape under its generational ban on cigarettes would affect the bumiputra community’s business, said the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA).
“The decision to equate vape and cigarettes by banning its sales to anyone born after 2005 is unfair, as cigarettes and vape are two different products coming from differing industries.
“Hence, we oppose this move as it will impact the local industry, which comprises more than 3,000 local vape entrepreneurs who are primarily bumiputera entrepreneurs,” its president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas said in a statement.
Earlier today, former Health Ministry (MOH) deputy director-general Prof DR Lokman Hakim Sulaiman urged MPs to support the proposed Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill which would impose a generational ban on tobacco and vape.
He said this in response to Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s wariness over the ban.
“A cursory look shows that these are the same excuses that have always been touted by the tobacco industry.
“So, a question arises: Is this party supported by the tobacco industry? We would like to see transparency in this matter. The party and party officials must declare any conflict of interest with the tobacco industry,” Code Blue reported Lokman as saying.
Touching on the matter, Adzwan said the generational ban would also push more than 15,000 local workers to become unemployed as it would cripple one of the biggest industries in the market.
“The local vape industry has the ability to take Malaysia to the global stage. Many Malaysian-made products have entered the global market and millions of ringgit have been invested by local entrepreneurs to develop the industry.
“Therefore, we urge the Government to review the decision and request MPs defend the fate of the local vape industry when the Bill is tabled in the Parliament,” he remarked. – July 18, 2022
