Two Malaysian MPs are calling on the government to ban nicotine vape liquids as “controlled poisons” following the government’s decision to withdraw its appeal against a High Court ruling that restored liquid nicotine to the Poisons List. Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung and Kuala Langat MP Ahmad Yunus Hairi urged the Health Ministry to announce a ban on recreational nicotine vape sales and the Finance Ministry to stop collecting excise duties on the products.
The MPs also called for refunds of more than RM354 million ($88.5 million) in excise duties collected since April 2023, arguing that continued taxation conflicts with the products’ legal status. The government’s decision leaves nicotine-containing vape liquids classified as Group C poisons under Malaysia’s Poisons Act, meaning recreational sale is prohibited unless prescribed by a doctor or pharmacist, creating significant regulatory and commercial uncertainty for the vaping industry.
