Three Malaysian Government Departments Join Forces to Regulate the Vaping Market
Nearly a year later, Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council determined that vaping is prohibited in Islam, and the government decided to begin regulating the vaping market.
Starting December 29, 2016, three government departments became responsible for regulating and supervising the use of e-cigarettes nationwide. In addition to the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) joined forces to carry out this task:
Ministry of Health: monitor the sale of nicotine-containing e-liquid and study health effects;
MOSTI: (through the Department of Standards Malaysia) formulate standards for e-cigarettes and batteries, as well as packaging standards for nicotine-free e-liquid;
Ministry of Domestic Trade: monitor and enforce safety standards for e-cigarettes and batteries; monitor and enforce laws related to labeling of hardware and nicotine-free e-liquid.
A two-year transition period
Over the next two years, the Ministry of Health is expected to introduce a draft law to replace the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, while the Ministry of Domestic Trade will also issue regulations specifically targeting e-cigarettes. During this transition period, the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping products will be authorized and regulated under the current amended laws.
The market will be monitored separately by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and the Ministry of Health in order to study its regulatory mechanisms and health impacts.
Malaysia is a country with a booming vaping industry. It is estimated that out of Malaysia’s total population of 30 million, the number of people who vape is between 400,000 and 1.25 million. Some believe Malaysia has already become the world’s second-largest e-cigarette market after the United States, and Malaysian e-liquid is very popular overseas. However, a series of anti-vaping measures have severely weakened the market within just a few months.
