Malaysia’s deputy health minister Dr. Lee Boon Chye says the country’s new ban on tobacco smoking in public places does not cover vaping, according to a story by John Bunyan at malaymail.com.
Lee said that under current laws, the authorities could act only in respect of vaping products that contained nicotine; the unauthorized sale of which was illegal under the Drug Act.
Only vaping products that contained nicotine were illegal. There was no law banning vaping products that did not contain nicotine.
But Lee said the Government was looking to draw up a new law to control vaping – presumably vaping without nicotine.
On Friday, Lee announced that the government would ban smoking at all eateries, including open-air outlets, throughout the country from next year.
“Eateries that allow customers to smoke despite the ban will be fined up to RM2,500, while those who smoke at prohibited places will face a maximum fine of RM10,000 or two years’ jail,” he said.
He also reiterated a suggestion that Parliament’s smoking room should be closed by next month in a bid to turn the entire law-making house into a smoke-free zone.
“We should not be giving exemptions to parliamentarians as we have already legislated that all government premises should be smoke-free,” Lee said.
“We advise the parliamentarians who smoke to quit smoking if possible or if they find it hard, then they should try another option such as nicotine gum.”
Vaping not banned entirely
