The use of vape electronic cigarettes will be strictly controlled - Dzulkefly
BERNAMA
Published : June 9, 2024
The use of electronic cigarettes will be strictly controlled through regulatory regulations under the Smoking Products Control Act for Public Health 2024 which will be enforced this month.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said so far, the use of electronic cigarettes is still regulated under the Food Act 1983 and the Tobacco Products Control Regulations 2004.
"(Regarding the proposal to ban vaping) laws and regulations can be reviewed and amended if necessary, for the sake of public health," he told reporters after the Clean, Smoke-Free Premises (BeBAs) Walkabout program at the Port Dickson Waterfront in Port Dickson yesterday.
He said however the regulatory rules under the Smoking Products Control Act for Public Health 2024 will be implemented first, which will make smoking products including vaping as strictly regulated products.
According to him, any other proposal will be considered according to existing procedures and should be debated in a mature democratic space.
As for today's program, Dzulkefly said the Ministry of Health gave recognition of 'Bersih dan Selamat' (BeSS) to six food premises in Persiaran Waterfront Port Dickson.
He said the upgrading of BeSS is important to ensure that food hygiene regulations and the ban on smoking in food premises are always followed.
Dzulkefly said that for the aspect of compliance with the ban on smoking in prohibited places under Regulation 11(1), the Tobacco Revenue Control Regulations (PPKHT) 2004, a total of 38,347 notices of offense have been issued so far this April.
"For Regulation 11(1)(d), PPKHT 2004 which is the ban on smoking in eating places, as many as 16,705 notices of offense have been issued as of April," he said.
He said the state with the highest number of smoking offense notices in places of eating was Selangor (6,174), followed by Pahang (5,054) and Johor (3,824).
