The Bangkok-based Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca) said it welcomed the enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which started today.

The Act aims to ban the sale and purchase of tobacco products, smoking materials, and tobacco substitutes, including vape products, to minors.

In a statement, Seatca’s coordinator for Malaysia Tan Yen Lian said regulators must ramp up efforts to tackle the problem of nicotine addiction among the youth and launch a massive public education programme to raise awareness.

The finance ministry had previously said the total excise tax revenue from vape liquids between 2021 and 2024 amounted to RM141.1 million. Tan said this revenue could be used for such programmes.

“A significant budget is needed to implement effective public awareness programmes to mitigate the harm of e-cigarette use,” said Tan.

“For example, this year, the Australian government rolled out a A$63 million (RM182 million) public awareness campaign targeting youths who are at risk of using e-cigarettes.”

She also called on the finance ministry to increase taxes on the tobacco industry in Budget 2025, noting that the last hike was nine years ago.