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Tag: Malaysia

  • Malaysia Poisons Board Backs Proposal to Allow Nicotine Vape Sales

    Malaysia Poisons Board Backs Proposal to Allow Nicotine Vape Sales

    Malaysia’s Poisons Board endorsed Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad’s proposal to remove nicotine-containing e-cigarette liquids from the Poisons List, potentially allowing their commercial sale under a ministerial exemption order. The proposal follows a May 2026 Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling that overturned a 2023 exemption issued by the previous health minister. The Malaysian Pharmacists Society confirmed the board’s support, although its deliberations were confidential.

    The proposal would reverse the current restrictions on nicotine vape products, but sales cannot resume until the health minister formally issues and gazettes the exemption order. The development also comes amid the government’s previously announced plans to introduce a nationwide vape ban.

  • BAT Malaysia Says Illicits Account for 56% of Market

    BAT Malaysia Says Illicits Account for 56% of Market

    British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd. said illicit cigarettes accounted for 56% of Malaysia’s total cigarette market volume as of July, down slightly from 56.2% in May but up from 54% at the end of 2025. The company welcomed the government’s enforcement funding under Budget 2027.

    BAT Malaysia reported third-quarter net profit of RM2.3 million on revenue of RM302 million, compared with revenue of RM300.8 million a year earlier. For the first nine months of 2026, revenue fell to RM977.6 million from RM1.2 billion, while the company reported a net loss of RM22.2 million, compared with RM24.5 million in the first half. The legal cigarette market contracted 3.9%, while BAT Malaysia’s sales volume fell 21.1%, reducing its market share by 1.9 percentage points. The company declared an interim dividend of two sen per share, totaling RM5.7 million, payable on Dec. 28.

  • Malaysian MPs Want Vape Liquid Declared Controlled Poisons 

    Malaysian MPs Want Vape Liquid Declared Controlled Poisons 

    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. 

  • MVCC Desires Regulatory Certainty for Vape Industry  

    MVCC Desires Regulatory Certainty for Vape Industry  

    The Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) called on the government to maintain regulatory certainty for the vape industry following its decision not to pursue an appeal concerning the legal status of nicotine in vape products. MVCC Secretary-General Ridhwan Rosli said the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) was developed through an extensive legislative process involving government agencies and industry stakeholders and should continue to serve as the basis for regulating vape and other smoking products. He stressed that the industry had supported regulation and made significant investments to comply with requirements covering products, packaging, labelling, registration, and business operations.  

    MVCC warned that changes to the legal position could create uncertainty for businesses that have made investment and operational decisions based on Act 852. The chamber said it does not oppose regulation or measures addressing public health, product misuse, or enforcement concerns, but believes these issues should be tackled through stronger enforcement or targeted amendments rather than undermining the existing framework. MVCC is urging the government to ensure consistent implementation of Act 852 while balancing public-health objectives with the sustainability of businesses, employees, distributors, and retailers across the vape industry.  

  • Malaysian Group Calls for Access to Public Cigarette Registry

    Malaysian Group Calls for Access to Public Cigarette Registry

    Malaysian public policy startup Wawasanex has urged the Health Ministry to make its registry of legally registered cigarette brands publicly accessible, arguing that consumers and legitimate retailers need an official way to distinguish legal products from illicit cigarettes. The group said the registry is already required under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 and could be published online without new legislation.

    Wawasanex’s call follows Royal Malaysian Customs’ seizure of RM1.3 billion ($312 million) in illicit goods during the first half of 2026, a 22% increase from 2025, with illicit cigarettes accounting for the largest share of cases. The group’s May 2026 nationwide survey found 99% of respondents said illegal cigarettes were easy or very easy to obtain. Wawasanex said it has written to the Health Ministry but has not received a response, and argued that publicly listing registered brands could complement enforcement efforts by giving consumers and retailers a means to verify products.

  • Health Advocates Renew Call to Ban Vapes in Malaysia

    Health Advocates Renew Call to Ban Vapes in Malaysia

    Public health and anti-smoking advocates in Malaysia are renewing calls for a nationwide ban on vaping products amid growing concerns over the use of drug-laced vapes. Consumer advocates and mental health experts argue that e-cigarettes are increasingly being used to consume synthetic drugs such as ketamine and etomidate, citing government data showing that 73% of drug abuse cases in the country involve synthetic drugs.

    The renewed push follows similar concerns across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia also considering stricter restrictions on e-cigarettes.

  • Malaysian Police Bust International MDMA Hub

    Malaysian Police Bust International MDMA Hub

    Malaysian police dismantled a foreign-run drug syndicate that allegedly used the country as a processing and packaging hub for MDMA-laced vape cartridges destined for Indonesia. In Operation Pijat, authorities arrested eight foreign nationals in Selangor and seized approximately 500 vape cartridges containing suspected MDMA, nearly 5 kg of the drug, and bottles of liquid MDMA with an estimated street value of RM152,400 ($38,000). Police believe the group had been operating since February, using remote locations to prepare the illicit products before smuggling them by sea, and said the syndicate had likely completed several overseas shipments before the operation disrupted its activities.

  • Malaysia Confiscated 700kg of Drug-Laced Vapes Since 2023

    Malaysia Confiscated 700kg of Drug-Laced Vapes Since 2023

    Malaysian authorities seized more than 718 kg of illegal vape and e-cigarette products suspected of containing prohibited substances between 2023 and June 2026, according to the Home Ministry. The products were found to contain substances including synthetic drugs, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), mushroom extracts, and other psychoactive compounds. Over the period, authorities recorded 400 cases and arrested 585 individuals.

    The ministry said the illicit products were primarily marketed to youths and students through social media, e-commerce platforms, and courier services, and announced plans to strengthen intelligence gathering, cyber monitoring, and forensic laboratory capabilities to identify and disrupt the illegal trade.

  • Malaysian Police Want Vape Ban as Devices Used for Drugs

    Malaysian Police Want Vape Ban as Devices Used for Drugs

    Malaysia’s police leadership called for a nationwide ban on e-cigarettes and vaping products after authorities detected a new synthetic drug known as “Piu Piu” in vape liquids. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said criminal syndicates are increasingly using vape devices to distribute new psychoactive substances, raising concerns about youth uptake and drug abuse. He urged the government and the Health Ministry to consider stronger action, arguing that vaping has become increasingly popular among teenagers and is being exploited as a delivery system for illicit drugs. Police said the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department will continue monitoring vape retailers and conducting inspections to curb the spread of drug-laced products, while maintaining strict enforcement against any officers found colluding with drug trafficking networks.

  • Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Tobacco control organizations in Malaysia are calling for annual 5% increases in tobacco taxes following survey findings showing broad public support for higher excise rates. Research conducted by the Social and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) found that 80% of 3,200 respondents supported yearly tax hikes, while 72% believed higher tobacco taxes could help ease broader cost-of-living pressures.

    Groups backing the proposal include the Malaysian Anti-Drug Association, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, and the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia. Seri senior researcher Muhammad Daniel Kittu said tobacco excise duties have remained largely unchanged since 2015 despite rising prices for staple goods, arguing that higher cigarette prices could reduce smoking rates while redirecting household spending toward essentials such as food, healthcare, and education.

    Responding to concerns that higher taxes could fuel illegal sales, Kittu said weak enforcement — rather than pricing — remains the primary driver of illicit tobacco activity.