Nationwide raids target nicotine-based vapes
BY D. KANYAKUMARI
THE STAR
PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry says that raids on vape stores nationwide are carried out to seize nicotine-based vapes.
An official from the Ministry said Thursday that the move was also to monitor the nicotine content in vaping fluids.
"The other reason is that these stores do not possess a valid licence from the Ministry," the official told The Star.
Asked on why vape store owners were not notified about the clampdown, the official said: “There was no need because Poisons Act is clear in its enforcement."
He said the sale and use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine are subject to the Poisons Act 1952 and Food Act 1983 under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004.
The official said this referring to a statement by deputy health director-general Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim, who said that action would be taken against sellers and users of e-cigarettes that contained nicotine under the Poisons Act 1952.
Earlier, Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entities president Samsul Kamal Arriffin claimed that more than 300 stores in Selangor alone and other areas in the country had been raided by the Health Ministry.
He added that it was unfair for the clampdown when the Cabinet clearly stated otherwise.
"When the Cabinet had issued a statement that they were not going to ban vaping, the Health Ministry should first propose a method of regulating it before the clampdown.
"This is very unfortunate," Samsul said, claiming that it was unfair to raid the stores as vaping helps people to stop smoking.
A store in Shah Alam was among those raided following discovery of products containing nicotine.
The owner claimed that officers from the Health Ministry had confiscated more than 3,000 bottles of vape liquid worth RM100,000.
On Wednesday, Dr Lokman said the ministry would intensify the campaign against e-cigarettes or vaping.
"The ministry's message to the community is do not use e-cigarettes or vaping as it is harmful to your health in the long-term," he said.
Health D-G: Nicotine in vape liquid can kill
BY LOH FOON FONGandVINCENT LIAN
THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR: Information from the National Poison Centre reveals that the nicotine liquid in e-cigarettes could harm or kill a person, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said that the centre based in the Universiti Sains Malaysia revealed that 1ml of e-cigarette refill could contain 4mg of nicotine.
"That means, there are 100mg of nicotine in a 25ml vape liquid bottle and it only takes 40mg to harm or kill an adult, " he said in a press conference on Ops Kepialu (typhoid) yesterday.
Dr Hisham said that if it were made accessible to children and students, it would be very dangerous because the amount of the nicotine in vape liquid was not known.
"I am concerned because the content of the nicotine looks like a syrup. If someone drinks it or misuses it, it will be very detrimental to their health," he said, adding that people do add drugs in them.
He said that more awareness needed to be created and action to be taken would follow.
He said that cigarette smokers were using vaping as an excuse to exit from smoking, adding that the Health Ministry has clinics to help smokers quit.
"We are more concerned non-smokers who vape become smokers. It is not the exit but the entry that we are more concerned about," he said.
Asked if restaurant owners could tell their customers not to vape, he said they could.
However, the Act had to evolve to address the issue of the vaping device, he said.
In a separate interview, Fomca secretary general, Datuk Paul Selvaraj said that vaping should be banned.
"It's going to be difficult to enforced existing regulations because it is hard to tell whether the vape liquid has nicotine.
"Although banning vaping would be difficult as well, but at least it's in black and white when it comes to dealing with this issue," he said
PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry says that raids on vape stores nationwide are carried out to seize nicotine-based vapes.
An official from the Ministry said Thursday that the move was also to monitor the nicotine content in vaping fluids.
"The other reason is that these stores do not possess a valid licence from the Ministry," the official told The Star.
Asked on why vape store owners were not notified about the clampdown, the official said: “There was no need because Poisons Act is clear in its enforcement."
He said the sale and use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine are subject to the Poisons Act 1952 and Food Act 1983 under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004.
The official said this referring to a statement by deputy health director-general Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim, who said that action would be taken against sellers and users of e-cigarettes that contained nicotine under the Poisons Act 1952.
Earlier, Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entities president Samsul Kamal Arriffin claimed that more than 300 stores in Selangor alone and other areas in the country had been raided by the Health Ministry.
He added that it was unfair for the clampdown when the Cabinet clearly stated otherwise.
"When the Cabinet had issued a statement that they were not going to ban vaping, the Health Ministry should first propose a method of regulating it before the clampdown.
"This is very unfortunate," Samsul said, claiming that it was unfair to raid the stores as vaping helps people to stop smoking.
A store in Shah Alam was among those raided following discovery of products containing nicotine.
The owner claimed that officers from the Health Ministry had confiscated more than 3,000 bottles of vape liquid worth RM100,000.
On Wednesday, Dr Lokman said the ministry would intensify the campaign against e-cigarettes or vaping.
"The ministry's message to the community is do not use e-cigarettes or vaping as it is harmful to your health in the long-term," he said.
Health D-G: Nicotine in vape liquid can kill
BY LOH FOON FONGandVINCENT LIAN
THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR: Information from the National Poison Centre reveals that the nicotine liquid in e-cigarettes could harm or kill a person, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said that the centre based in the Universiti Sains Malaysia revealed that 1ml of e-cigarette refill could contain 4mg of nicotine.
"That means, there are 100mg of nicotine in a 25ml vape liquid bottle and it only takes 40mg to harm or kill an adult, " he said in a press conference on Ops Kepialu (typhoid) yesterday.
Dr Hisham said that if it were made accessible to children and students, it would be very dangerous because the amount of the nicotine in vape liquid was not known.
"I am concerned because the content of the nicotine looks like a syrup. If someone drinks it or misuses it, it will be very detrimental to their health," he said, adding that people do add drugs in them.
He said that more awareness needed to be created and action to be taken would follow.
He said that cigarette smokers were using vaping as an excuse to exit from smoking, adding that the Health Ministry has clinics to help smokers quit.
"We are more concerned non-smokers who vape become smokers. It is not the exit but the entry that we are more concerned about," he said.
Asked if restaurant owners could tell their customers not to vape, he said they could.
However, the Act had to evolve to address the issue of the vaping device, he said.
In a separate interview, Fomca secretary general, Datuk Paul Selvaraj said that vaping should be banned.
"It's going to be difficult to enforced existing regulations because it is hard to tell whether the vape liquid has nicotine.
"Although banning vaping would be difficult as well, but at least it's in black and white when it comes to dealing with this issue," he said
