MMA president Dr R Thirunavukarasu said “public health cannot wait” and that the time for a total ban on vaping is now and not next year.

“By postponing the ban, the government is not ‘buying time.’

“It is prolonging the period of harm and addiction, exposing Malaysians, especially our children, to risks we know are real,” he said in a statement today.

Thirunavukarasu said vaping is harmful and has fuelled a new wave of nicotine addiction among Malaysian youths, many of whom are being lured by aggressive marketing and flavoured products.

He said that according to recent reports, even children as young as eight can identify vape juices.

“We are already seeing worrying health consequences, including lung injuries linked to e-cigarettes, while drug-laced vapes have been detected in the market,” he said.

He said fentanyl, which is deadlier than nicotine, has been found in vape devices.

Yesterday, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad revealed that his ministry aims to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes or vapes as early as mid-2026.

He said that while the ministry was committed to implementing the ban, it would be done in phases, adding that there were “many factors to consider”.

Thirunavukarasu called on the government to act responsibly and urgently, saying that public health must come before industry interests or tax revenues.

“Malaysians cannot afford another year of preventable harm,” he said.