The Perikatan Nasional health committee chairman said the government should stop the import, production and sale of the product, which, if allowed, might harm future generations.

Yunus said the government also needed to disclose the chemical contents of the devices and disseminate the information to the public through health education.

“Immediate action is needed to ban the nasal inhalers also known as energy sticks, as this is not just a matter of the country’s economy but also the future of Malaysians.

“‘Prevention is better than cure’ should be adopted as the most effective healthcare approach for the community,” Yunus said in a Facebook post.

The Selangor PAS chief said the energy sticks were trending even as cigarette and vaping addiction continued among school students despite the passing of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 in Parliament in November.

Yesterday, education minister Fadhlina Sidek urged parents and schools to work together in preventing students from using energy sticks.

Emphasising the importance of input from parents and teachers, she stressed the need to address and combat the worrying trend.

Meanwhile, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad pledged to take prompt action against the product which is being sold and promoted on social media.

Public Health Malaysia also expressed concern with the rise in popularity of these energy sticks, which can be purchased for as little as RM2.50 to RM10.