Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe said the rise in vape use among Malaysian youth has become a public health crisis, with growing cases of addiction, poisoning, and exposure to illicit substances.

“The time to act is now, not later,” he said in a joint statement with the Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC).

He said the industry continues to exploit enforcement gaps by marketing colourful, flavoured devices designed to appeal to young users, often under the pretext of being a safer alternative to cigarettes.

MCTC president Dr Murallitharan Munisamy said that while Malaysia had introduced some regulations, such as age restrictions and advertising bans, they were not enough to curb the surge in use and associated risks.

He noted that over 40 countries, including Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, and Cambodia, had implemented full bans to safeguard public health, and said Malaysia needed a unified national policy to close enforcement gaps.

Last week, the Sarawak government announced plans to enforce a statewide ban on vape sales following concerns over their misuse for drug abuse.

Other states are also stepping up enforcement. In Selangor, vape traders were recently warned to remove advertisements or face action, although the state has yet to decide on a full ban.

Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, and Pahang have already moved to ban vape sales, while Johor and Kelantan have enforced similar bans since 2016 and 2015, respectively.