Malaysia Vape Quality Survey: Diacetyl Exceeded Limit by 2 Times, Heavy Metals Met National Standard

 To investigate Southeast Asiae-cigarette productsRegarding quality problems, 2FIRSTS staff went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to conduct on-site investigation and purchase 8 sets of samples. The test results found that there were indeed quality problems with the products.

Special statement: 
1. The products involved in this article are samples randomly purchased by 2FIRSTS on the market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the test results only represent the information of the samples;
2. Since the authenticity of the product cannot be judged, the description of the products sampled in the article does not represent an evaluation of the relevant brand;
3.2 FIRSTS has recorded and photographed the entire process of sample procurement and inspection. If the brand has any questions about the authenticity of the product, please contact 2FIRSTS, and we will provide further information to help the brand fight against counterfeiting;
4. The cost of this test is entirely borne by 2FIRSTS independently and has not accepted funding from any other third-party companies;
5. This article is only used for industrial research and will not promote any products or brands;
6. Minors are not allowed to visit.

[Two Supremes Survey] At the end of 2023, a person familiar with the matter revealed to 2FIRSTS that certain dairy flavors in the Southeast Asian markete-cigarettes2,3-butanedione (hereinafter referred to as butanedione) was added to the product. As early as 2004, butanedione has been repeatedly confirmed by many institutions to be closely related to "popcorn lung"(an irreversible lung damage). At the same time, the list of "additives allowed to be used in aerosols" in the national standard of China's "Electronic Cigarette" also does not contain butanedione substances.

In order to confirm the authenticity of this statement, 2FIRSTS staff went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in early December 2023 to conduct on-site research and purchase 8 sets of samples. Since it was unable to find the relevant testing institution in Malaysia, 2FIRSTS sealed the purchased sample numbers and sent them to a third-party testing company in China.

Since Malaysia currently has no product standard for e-cigarettes, the evaluation is based on China's "E-Cigarette" national standard (hereinafter referred to as the "national standard"). Test data shows that some of the products submitted for inspection have quality problems. Among them, the content of butanedione in one group exceeds the national standard limit by nearly twice; the heavy metal arsenic was detected in five groups of products, but its content is much lower than the national standard limit.

 Corresponding number of each sample| Cartography: 2FIRSTS

Test result 1:1 group of products contains butanedione, which exceeds the national standard limit by nearly twice 

Among the 8 groups of products, a total of 1 group of products (the third group) was detected to contain butanedione, and its content was 65mg/kg, which was nearly three times the national standard indicator (22mg/kg).

 Test results of the third group of products, butanedione, source: Screenshot of the test report   The third group of product drawings, source: 2FIRSTS

Test result 2: The heavy metal content detected in 5 groups of products is far below the "national standard" limit

A total of 5 groups of products have detected the heavy metal "arsenic". According to the arsenic content in the test results, they are:

Group 5: 0.013 mg/kg

Group 4: 0.009 mg/kg

Group 7: 0.009 mg/kg

Group 6: 0.004 mg/kg

Group 3: 0.004 mg/kg.

The "arsenic" content of these five groups of products is far below the national standard limit (3mg/kg).

 Arsenic (As) test results of group 5 products, source: screenshot of test report #p#pagination title #e#  The fifth group of product drawings, source: 2FIRSTS

 Arsenic (As) test results of the fourth group of products, source: screenshot of the test report   The fourth group of product drawings, source: 2FIRSTS

 Arsenic (As) test results of group 7 products, source: screenshot of test report   Group 7 product map, source: 2FIRSTS

 Arsenic (As) test results of group 6 products, source: screenshot of test report   Group 6 product map, source: 2FIRSTS

 Arsenic (As) test results of the third group of products, source: screenshot of the test report   The third group of product drawings, source: 2FIRSTS

Dimethyldione: Regulations and their harms

According to the official website of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), butanedione is a chemical used to amplify the sweetness of buttery. It has been commonly seen in the production of popcorn, candy and other foods. It is also a by-product of the production process and naturally appears in some alcoholic products. The European Union (1999) took the lead in regulating the use of this substance; the United Kingdom (2016) and China (2022) have also had relevant laws that explicitly prohibit the use of this substance as an additive in e-cigarette products. Many Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, do not have explicit regulations governing the use of butanedione.

According to the specific provisions of the mandatory national standard for China's "Electronic Cigarettes" officially implemented on October 1, 2022, 2FIRSTS found that butanedione was not included in the "Allowable Additives and Maximum Usage Amount in Aerosol", but the indicator for "2,3 butanedione" in the "Requirements for Impurities and Pollutants of Aerosol" in the Appendix is 22mg/kg.

 Source: Compulsory national standard for "Electronic Cigarette"

2FIRSTS learned from the Malaysian testing agency that the Malaysian government's supervision of e-cigarettes is limited to "equipment" and does not regulate "nicotine-containing products."smoke oil"Establish regulations. However, according to Article 33 of the "Measures for the Management of Electronic Cigarettes" issued on March 11, 2022, the announcement of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration stipulates:E-cigarette products that are not sold in China but are only used for export shall comply with the laws, regulations and standards of the destination country or region; if the destination country or region does not have relevant laws, regulations and standards, they shall comply with our country's laws, regulations and standards. Relevant requirements.

 Source: "Measures for the Management of Electronic Cigarettes"

According to the spirit of the terms of this document, disposable e-cigarettes manufactured in China sold in Malaysia should be implemented in accordance with the mandatory national standards of China's "E-Cigarette".

2FIRSTS conducted an exclusive interview with Dr. Sharfa Ezat Wan Puteh, a Malaysian pulmonary expert. She is currently a lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia School of Medicine, and has many years of follow-up research in the fields of public health policy and health economy.# p#pagination title #e#

Dr. Puteh told 2FIRSTS that she had also heard about the operation of adding butanedione to e-cigarette liquid. Dimethyldione is safe when taken orally. However, if ingested by smoking, it may cause lung damage and scarring. "And the damage it (butanedione) causes in the lungs and the entire respiratory system is irreversible,"

When asked how much dose of butanedione would cause harm to the human body, Dr. Puteh said that inhalation of butanedione was absolutely harmful and "there was no so-called 'safe dose'." Moreover, she mentioned that although long-term and close exposure of workers in sick popcorn factories to the substance may cause some people to feel lucky, e-cigarette users involve direct "inhalation" behavior in the mouth, lungs, nose and mouth., and in comparison, the degree of exposure is even worse.

Appendix: Sample Procurement Process

This survey visited more than 20 stores, and finally randomly purchased 8 e-cigarettes from mainstream brands in the local market from 6 stores. The words VOLTBAR, ELFBAR LOWIT, WAKA, VUSE, Aladdin, and VapeTape are printed on the packaging of these products. Among them, in order to clarify the correlation between butanedione and milk taste, 6 of the 8 products are milk-flavored e-cigarettes, while the other 2 are fruit-flavored e-cigarettes. In order to meet the minimum limit of smoke oil (30ml) for component testing, 3-4 cigarettes are purchased for each product. After the purchase was completed, 2FIRSTS sealed the purchased sample numbers on the spot and then sent them to the third-party testing company Zhongke Testing Technical Services (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd.

 One of the stores where 2FIRSTS purchases products. Photo source: Photo by 2FIRSTS   8 samples purchased by 2FIRSTS, source: 2FIRSTS   On December 12, the sealed samples were opened at the China Science and Technology Testing Institute. Photo source: 2FIRSTS, photo by China Science and Technology Testing Laboratory

according toZhongke Testing Technology Services (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd.The official website shows that the third-party inspection, testing and certification institution under Zhongke Testing China Academy of Sciences Holdings Co., Ltd.(Guoke Holdings) was formerly the Analytical and Testing Center of the Guangzhou Institute of Chemistry, China Academy of Sciences, established in 1958, and was established by Guangzhou Chemical Company, Ltd., Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Regarding the test results, 2FIRSTS has contacted the above brands. 2FIRSTS will continue to track product quality issues in Southeast Asia, so stay tuned for the latest reports.