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Tag: MRECA

  • Malaysia Vape Retailers Call for Fair Tobacco Controls

    Malaysia Vape Retailers Call for Fair Tobacco Controls

    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.

  • Vape Industry Slams Malaysia’s Proposed Ban, Points to Illegal Trade

    Vape Industry Slams Malaysia’s Proposed Ban, Points to Illegal Trade

    Malaysia’s vape industry has hit back at a proposed government ban, with the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) warning it would wipe out years of investment and punish law-abiding businesses. “Why should there be a ban on vape products when those that have undergone [Ministry of Health’s] stringent approval process are already in the market?” asked MRECA president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas, noting companies have spent millions on compliance, safety testing, and labelling.

    Adzwan said the real problem lies with unapproved products and criminal misuse, not licensed businesses. He urged enforcement agencies to intensify raids and penalties against illegal sellers, warning that a blanket ban would only fuel smuggling and expand the black market.

    MRECA members, who have upgraded facilities and testing systems at significant cost, fear massive job cuts and financial losses if prohibition goes ahead. “The solution is not prohibition,” Adzwan said. “The solution is cooperation, enforcement, and fairness. We must not undermine a regulated industry that has demonstrated its willingness to comply with the law and contribute responsibly to the economy.”

  • MRECA: Should Hear from All Parties, Not Rely on “Biased” Vape Report 

    MRECA: Should Hear from All Parties, Not Rely on “Biased” Vape Report 

    The Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) voiced concern over the Health Parliament Special Select Committee’s (PSSC) latest report, which proposes a blanket ban on the sale and use of e-cigarettes and vape. MRECA said the report was biased and prepared without consulting key stakeholders, including manufacturers, importers, distributors, consumers, and independent experts.

    “The industry supports firm and balanced regulations, including age restrictions, product standards, and consumer safety measures,” MRECA said in its statement. “However, the process must be transparent and inclusive. Allegations made against the industry should be reviewed and verified with scientific evidence, not assumptions.”

    The association urged the Health PSSC to hold consultation sessions with all stakeholders before finalizing recommendations. “Without a fair and comprehensive process, a blanket ban would unfairly punish the industry as a whole,” MRECA said. “The vape sector should be seen as part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

  • Op-Ed: SHORT-SIGHTED AND INEFFECTIVE – VAPE BANS ARE NOT THE ANSWER

    Op-Ed: SHORT-SIGHTED AND INEFFECTIVE – VAPE BANS ARE NOT THE ANSWER

    By Dato Adzwan Abdul Manas, President, Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA)

    Across Malaysia, we’re witnessing a growing wave of state-led attempts to ban vape products, with Perlis, Terengganu, and Kedah – all governed by opposition parties – announcing prohibitions, with Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan reportedly considering the same.

    Publicly, leaders and MPs are now echoing calls for a nationwide ban, citing concerns over vape products laced with drugs and growing concern over youth vaping.

    Let us be clear: these concerns are real, but the proposed solutions are dangerously flawed.

    The reason we are seeing issues like underage use and contaminated products is not because of the legal vape industry. It is because irresponsible, illegal retailers and criminal syndicates continue to operate without fear of consequences. These bad actors have no regard for regulations, age restrictions, or product safety. They are the ones supplying unregistered products, selling to minors, and introducing dangerous substances into the supply chain.

    Banning vape will not stop these criminals. It will only penalise legitimate, regulated businesses, whilst empowering the black market.

    The leaders now calling for a ban are reacting to the harm caused by illegal and unregulated players. But instead of focusing efforts on enforcement to eliminate these elements, they propose a blanket ban that would wipe out responsible retailers, many of whom are registered and comply with all current regulations.

    If we take the easy way out and ban vape outright, we risk creating an entirely unregulated underground market. Everything will be black market. No age checks, no quality control, no accountability. This is the worst possible outcome for public health.

    We must remember that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), has now been introduced. This is the very tool meant to bring vape into a regulated space, to ensure product safety, protect youth, and allow only legal players to operate. Why are we not concentrating our energy on implementing this law effectively, with robust enforcement to weed out the bad actors?

    According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Malaysia 2023 survey by the Institute for Public Health under the Ministry of Health, the majority of vape users are aged 15 to 24 years. These numbers did not emerge under a regulated environment. They grew due the absence of a clear regulatory framework. This proves that prohibition does not work. What works is regulations, oversight, and the political will to enforce the law.

    MRECA fully supports regulations. We support clear rules that keep products out of the hands of minors and ensure safety for adult consumers. But we cannot support a system where the actions of criminal syndicates are used to justify blanket bans that harm legitimate businesses.

    With Act 852 already in place, the focus must be on moving forward: implementing it with urgency, investing in enforcement, and strengthening the regulatory framework so that only responsible, compliant players remain in the market.

    Banning regulated products is not a solution, it is an abdication of responsibility that hands the market over to criminals. If we want to protect public health and consumer safety, we must stay the course, enforce the law decisively, and commit to building a legal, transparent vape industry that operates within clear and accountable boundaries.