State human resources, health, Indian community affairs and national integration committee chairman A Sivanesan said the decision was made at a state exco meeting today.

“This decision, made after a policy paper on the ban of licences for e-cigarette sales was presented at a meeting last week, is to protect public health, particularly among the younger generation,” Bernama reported him as saying.

He said the state government, through the local authorities, would not renew business licences for premises selling e-cigarette products.

Business premises found violating the order would be subject to legal action by the local authorities.

“We are giving all premises with remaining stocks time to sell them before the full ban takes effect on Jan 1,” he said.

Sivanesan said the state government has introduced entrepreneurship courses and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes through various agencies for the affected vape shop operators and workers.

“Qualified individuals will also be offered employment, particularly in the TVET field, which is estimated to have more than 12,000 vacancies in the state.

“This measure indirectly allows them to transition to a safer and more sustainable business sector,” he said.

So far, Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Kedah and Pahang have implemented e-cigarette bans.