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Malaysian government officials were divided on Thursday after the country’s health minister proposed banning e-cigarettes.
Health Minister S Subramaniam said his office was considering implementing a total ban on the practice, which has become popular among smokers in the predominantly Islamic South-East Asian country.
ingReport says there are an estimated 1 million e-cigarette smokers in Malaysia, fulling a multi-million dollar industry, with traders selling parts, devices and flavours in stalls and outlets throughout the country.
Other Malaysian officials, including Rural and Regional Development Minister, Ismail Yaacob, vowed to oppose any move to prohibit the smoking of e-cigarettes, which is also known as “vaping.”
“The nicotine content of e-cigarette liquid is only 3 per cent, compared to 13 per cent in traditional cigarettes.
“If cigarettes are more dangerous than vaping, why not ban cigarettes?’’ Sabri said.
According to the Deputy Health Minister Hilmi Yahaya, the ministry is still consulting stakeholders on its plans to ban the practice.
“At present, we have only laws governing tobacco, but we are looking at new laws to cover vaporizers, tobacco and shisha,’’ he said.
Yazuan Yatim, 36, the owner of an e-cigarette outlet on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, said banning them would not work and would only drive smokers and traders underground.
“What is needed is regulation,’’ he told newsmen.
”The e-cigarette smoking device has an electronic vaporisation system and controls, rechargeable batteries, and cartridges that contain varying amounts of liquid nicotine to be vaporized.
”The smoker puffs it from one end, inhaling vaporized chemical mixtures.
NAN
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