The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction
Advocates (CAPHRA) today urged Malaysian authorities to
reject counterproductive bans on vaping and adopt
risk-proportionate regulations, citing the World Health
Organization’s (WHO) persistent neglect of harm reduction
strategies as a key driver of preventable smoking-related
deaths.
The call comes as Malaysia faces pressure to
tighten vaping controls under the Control of Smoking
Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), with
state-level bans and stricter nicotine limits threatening
progress. CAPHRA warns such measures risk replicating failed
prohibition in Bhutan and South Africa, where bans fuelled
illicit markets and health risks.
Professor Dr.
Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh emphasised: “Enforcing stricter
controls on high-risk products over safer alternatives is
better than outright bans. Malaysia must differentiate
between combustible cigarettes and harm reduction
tools.”
Echoing this, Samsul Arrifin Kamal of
MOVE Malaysia stated: “We firmly believe that an
outright ban on vape products is counterproductive and could
lead to unintended consequences, including the proliferation
of black market activities. The solution lies in
implementing stricter controls, risk proportionate
regulations and robust enforcement mechanisms. By
establishing clear guidelines for the production, sale and
use of vape products, we can ensure consumer
safety.”
CAPHRA criticised the WHO’s outdated
stance, which ignores vaping’s role in smoking cessation.
Despite Malaysia’s illicit tobacco trade dominating 55.3%
of the market in 2023, WHO projects smoking rates will rise
to 30% by 2025-contrasting sharply with Sweden’s 5% rate
achieved through harm reduction.
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“The WHO’s
anti-harm reduction dogma costs lives,” said Nancy Loucas,
CAPHRA Executive Coordinator. “Malaysia must choose:
follow failed prohibition or evidence. Sweden’s success
proves science trumps ideology.”
While Act 852
introduced nicotine caps and health warnings, proposals to
ban vaping in states like Selangor and Johor risk
fragmenting policy. CAPHRA urges federal-state harmonisation
to avoid undermining progress.
With 68% of Malaysian
ex-smokers crediting vaping for quitting combustibles,
CAPHRA calls for expanding regulated access while pressuring
the WHO to revise its stance. “Malaysia can lead ASEAN by
prioritising 5 million smokers’ health over outdated
rhetoric,” Loucas
concluded.
