Speaking at a press conference in Puchong, Mevta President Rizani Zakaria said the association received a letter on May 25 from the ministry regarding the regulations on the import and export of vape materials, including vape juices.

Saying it was important for every player in the industry to support the move, he pointed out that there were still uncertainties and questions that the ministry neded to clarify regarding import and export regulations, such as guidelines for vape store owners as well as vape manufacturers and distributors.

“We also urge for fair research and reports on the health aspects of vaping by the health ministry. We see cigarettes being sold widely across the country, but it is not sold in pharmacies because it is – in fact – unhealthy.

“There are a lot of negative reports on the effects of vaping, but most of them are perceptive. The health ministry needs to provide a fair report,” he said.

Earlier this month, Health Minister S Subramaniam said the ministry should finish drafting its regulations on vaping by the end of the year.

“We are still finalising the laws. They will cover everything, from manufacturing all the way to smoking,” Subramaniam said.

The regulations would be handled by different ministries, depending on the legal areas involved, he had said.

Meanwhile, in line with its efforts to change the perception of vaping, Mevta today launched a campaign called “Kempen Kesedaran Vaping Saved My Life”, on how vaping could be a better alternative to smoking.

“We want to educate the citizens on how vaping can be used as a tool to quit smoking, especially smokers who have tried and failed with other alternatives such as counselling, nicotine patches and medical prescriptions,” Rizani said.