Sarawak tops vape use among youth, state minister calls for urgent action on rising trend
KUCHING, June 23 — Sarawak has the highest vape users among youngsters aged 13 to 17 years in Malaysia, based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) undertaken in 2022, which recorded prevalence rate of 20.3 per cent, or 39,608 individuals.
To Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, this is not something to be proud of.
'This is not good. We're on top of the list, but not for a good reason.
'The prevalence rate of vape use among Sarawakianz aged 15 years and above has also shown an increase. The NHMS report showed an increase in the prevalence rate of vape use from 4.5 per cent in 2019 to 7.3 per cent in 2023,' she said at the state-level 'National Anti-Drugs Day 2025' at Detar Putra of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) on Saturday evening.
In this regard, she said her ministry was ready to bring this issue up at the Sarawak Cabinet meeting in seeking direction on the next step of action.
She also pointed out that there had been cases of illegal substance being added to vapes, with police statistics in 2023 reporting nine cases of illegal vape substances in Sarawak.
'We must do something to avoid this issue from becoming out of hand,' she stressed.
On another matter, Fatimah said Sarawak recorded a total of 4,602 arrests involving various drug-related offences from January to April this year.
'What is worrying is the increase in relapse cases among drug addicts in Sarawak, where the number of recorded cases jumped by 120 per cent from 319 cases (last year) to 703 cases.'
She added out of the 4,602 arrests, 2,804 involved youths – up from 1,392 youths' arrests recorded last year.
'This group (youths) are of the future of the state and the country.
'What's clear now is that prevention efforts must start earlier, at the school level with strong support from the teachers and parents,' she pointed out.
The state minister also called upon youths to never experiment with illegal drugs, as getting over the addiction and rehabilitation process would be difficult for them. — The Borneo Post
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