KUALA LUMPUR: The government's moderate approach of imposing a tax on the sale of vape liquids for ecigarettes beginning April 1 is seen as a win-win situation for industry players and in the government's efforts to control the smoking habit among the people in the country.
MALAYSIA is in line to become the first country in the world to ban the future generation from smoking and vaping as lawmakers gather in parliament this week to debate and vote on the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022. The bill was tabled for first reading in parliament by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin last Wednesday. If passed, it will mean any Malaysian who turns 15 this year, and those younger than that, will never be able to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco and vaping products. Currently, anyone who turns 18 can buy tobacco products.
PETALING JAYA: Industry players have been calling for the e-cigarette and vape industry to be regulated while tobacco control groups think it should be banned as long as there is no law governing it.
Harm Reduction Association programme director Samsul Kamal Arifin Mohd Basir said it made no sense for the government to impose an excise duty of 40 sen per ml on the nicotine-free liquid used in e-cigarettes while those with nicotine remain banned.
“Most, if not all, of the vape e-liquid sold in the local market contain nicotine.
“The amount of duty on the liquid is similar to the tax imposed on a stick of cigarette that contains both tobacco and nicotine.