Penang govt open to banning vape sales, says CM

Penang govt open to banning vape sales, says CM

Chow Kon Yeow says no formal discussions on the matter have taken place yet.

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Chief minister Chow Kon Yeow says the Penang government will wait for executive councillor Daniel Gooi to table a proposal on the sale of e-cigarettes and vapes. (EPA Images pic)
PETALING JAYA:
Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow says the state government is open to banning the sale of e-cigarettes and vapes at business premises across the state.

However, he said no formal discussions on a proposed ban have taken place yet.

“We will wait for youth, sports and health committee chairman Daniel Gooi to table this matter at the state executive council meeting.

“Only after that will we deliberate further and decide on the next course of action,” Buletin Mutiara quoted him as saying.

Previously, deputy inspector-general of police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said more state governments should move to ban the sale of vapes, which are now increasingly linked to the abuse of new synthetic drugs.

He said students as young as 13 years have been caught using vapes containing substances mixed with drugs, which could pose a new threat to the country if not curbed.

Terengganu is set to become the second state to ban the sale of vape products at business premises starting Aug 1, after Johor introduced the ban in 2016.

Yesterday, Selangor public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin said the state government will convene a meeting soon to deliberate on a proposal to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes and vape products.

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