The Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) has criticized what it sees as an unbalanced regulatory focus on vaping, while conventional cigarettes—long linked to greater health risks—continue to be sold with limited enforcement. MRECA president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas said public health policy should be fair and evidence-based, noting that vape products are regulated under the same legal framework as cigarettes through Act 852 and that the industry has invested heavily to meet government compliance requirements.
He warned that sweeping bans or excessive restrictions on vaping could drive users back to combustible cigarettes or illicit markets, undermining health goals and harming legitimate businesses. MRECA urged the government to pursue balanced regulation, strengthen enforcement against cigarette misuse, engage in open dialogue with industry, and focus on realistic public health outcomes rather than symbolic prohibitions.