Call for law on nicotine-laced vaping

Sale of such products illegal as licences have not been issued: Tobacco firm MD

KUALA LUMPUR: The illegal trade of nicotine-laced vaping products rakes in an estimated RM2 billion a year, said Cormac O’Rourke, managing director of JT International Bhd (JTI), a leading international tobacco product manufacturer.

He said 10% of the total “smoking” market is made up of illegal vaping products, adding that 30% of new vapers above 18 have never smoked before while there are also minors vaping.

“Despite the proliferation of illegal vape products, the Health Ministry has yet to come up with laws to deal with them,” O’Rourke said at a media briefing yesterday.

“No one is allowed to sell nicotine-laced products as licences for such items have not been issued,” he said, adding JTI itself had failed to get a permit to import such products.

He called on the Health Ministry to deal with this problem, pointing to the Poisons Act 1952 that regulates the importation of nicotine-laced products.

Many people are buying vaping products online which are delivered to their homes.

“We don’t know what substances go into them other than nicotine.”

O’Rourke said Malaysia also held the number one spot for two years running (2018 and 2019) for illegal cigarette trade.

“In 2018, 58.9% of all cigarettes sold were illegally imported but last year, it jumped to 62.3%. The government lost about RM5 billion in revenue due to the illegal trade.”

O’Rourke said it worked out to about 12.2 billion sticks of contraband cigarettes sold and consumed in the country.

He said greater enforcement by all relevant agencies is needed to overcome this problem, adding it is heartening to know the government has set up a multiagency task force to address the issue.

“The plan by the Health Ministry to increase the minimum cigarette price from RM10 to RM15 will defeat this purpose.”

“Smokers are now buying cigarette packs costing below RM10 and illegal cigarettes. The price increase will further drive them to purchase illegal cigarettes.”