Instead of banning vape, Sabah proposes tighter regulations
Datuk James Ratib said as Sabah health executive councillor, he could only make recommendations to the Health Ministry to improve regulations on vape-related matters.
"I will recommend improvements in advisory measures to prevent indiscriminate vaping, a study to control (the manufacturing of vape products) and to determine whether they are laced with drugs.
"If the vape liquid contains drugs, the responsible individuals should be arrested," said the state Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister after launching the 17th Public Health Colloquium at a hotel here.
Present was Sabah Health director Dr Maria Suleiman.
On banning the sale of vapes, James said the jurisdiction lied with the Local Government and Housing Ministry.
Perlis, Terengganu, Kelantan, Johor and Kedah have banned the sale of vape products.
According to Universiti Sains Malaysia, the National Poison Centre recorded 76 poisoning cases linked to vape products suspected of containing dangerous synthetic drugs between 2020 and 2024.
A senior economics expert from Universiti Putra Malaysia said the economic returns from the vape industry were relatively small and short term, as the government has estimated that treating a single case of e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury would cost about RM150,000.
Since last October, the Health Ministry has enforced the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which includes provisions for e-cigarettes.
James said he would meet Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad during his visit to Sabah tomorrow.
Issues he plans to raise with the Health Ministry are the procurement of Sabah's first Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan machine, the provision of allowances for health personnel in rural areas and the need to expedite the establishment of the Sabah Heart Centre.
Dr Maria said Sabah had about 4,000 doctors across the state.
She said out of 130 dilapidated wooden health clinics, 97 had been upgraded to date.
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