He said a scientific committee has been set up to study the effects of vape and e-cigarettes, and the steps that need to be taken.

“We hope this scientific committee can do the necessary research,” he told reporters after opening the Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity (Maso) conference at Istana Hotel today.

“At the moment, we are relying on evidence from overseas.

“There are also anecdotal reports of worsening lung function from those who used vape.

“Some have alleged that it is the cannabis and other additives in vape liquid that is causing all the problems. But we need further studies to confirm whether this is the case.”

Yesterday, Health Minister  Dzulkifley Ahmad said the government is still discussing a possible ban on the sale of e-cigarettes that use liquid solutions (e-liquid) without nicotine amid reports that school children are getting hooked to the habit and deaths have been reported in the US and UK.

Dzulkefly said the legislation, under review by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, calls for a total ban on the sale of all types of tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, to individuals aged below 18.