ELECTRONIC cigarette products sellers want the government to exclude their gadgets and products from the proposed law for the generation end game (GEG) policy that is aimed at stopping smoking.

The body representing the sellers, the Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entity (Move) is pushing for the exclusion because they believe their products and gadgets (vapes) can actually help smokers quit the habit.

Its chairman Samsul Kamal Arifin Mohd Basir claims that electronic cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes based on what he claims is a “scientific study”.

“Vapes are used by those who quit smoking and it is safer based on scientific studies, besides that vaping is also 95% safer than cigarettes.

“Why are these items mentioned in the proposed law?,” he asked, referring to the provision in the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill.

Samsul however said the electronic cigarette market can still survive for the next 70 years because the generation born before 2007 is not bound by the new proposed policy.

“It will be implemented in 2025, when they will be 18 years old. But the existing market is still there, those born before 2007 can still buy cigarettes and vape.

“The existing market is still there, I don’t really understand why they said it is going to be affected, (traders) can still do business for another 60 to 70 years, there is no problem.

“It’s just that there is no new market after that,” he told The Malaysian Insight when contacted.

He added that although they supported the law in principle, they rejected the provision that would make the offender a criminal.

“But I don’t agree with the implementation, and also the punishment is too heavy, it is a criminal offence.”

“We don’t want this law to criminalise users. It also gives too much power to the enforcement authorities.”

“They can enter premises, seize computers, phones and products without a warrant,” he said.

New problems under new law

Samsul said although the intention of implementing the GEG policy was seen as good, he said it was feared to cause new and bigger problems.

Therefore, the authorities should be more careful in its implementation in addition to getting the views of stakeholders before it is implemented.

“The intention is good, but if it is implemented or approved in haste, maybe the intention which is good could become worse, that’s what we don’t want,” he said.

The bill proposes a ban on individuals born from 2007 from buying, possessing and using cigarettes or vaped tobacco products.

The bill presented in the Dewan Rakyat on July 27 by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin provides for a fine of RM5,000.

After protests from many parties, the fine rate was reduced by 90% to RM500 and the provision of prison sentences for teenagers under 18 years old was also amended.

The group of offenders will instead be subjected to a low fine, community service or mandatory counselling.

In addition, the bill also outlines provisions for the registration of tobacco products, smoking materials or tobacco substitute products.

It also regulates the activities of advertising, promotion and sponsorship, sale and purchase of tobacco products, smoking materials, tobacco substitute products or smoking devices.

The bill is now before the parliamentary Special Select Committee for further scrutiny and recommendations for improvement.

Protect livelihoods of bumi entrepreneurs

One of the traders involved, Firdaus Zulkifli, hopes that vaping would be exempted from the act.

He said he started selling vapes after being fired as an assistant engineer due to the Covid-19 pandemic around March, 2020.

Firdaus said that the compensation he received as a result of the termination was used to start his business to support his family.

“I understand the government is serious about fighting the symptoms of smoking and vaping among adults, however, I am very upset.”

“Just ban cigarettes for that generation. Cigarettes are financed by big global corporations. They are not affected if cigarettes are banned.”

“But don’t ban vapes. Vapes are the livelihood of many Bumiputera entrepreneurs.

It is estimated that there are approximately 3,000 vape entrepreneurs and operators in Malaysia, providing 15,000 jobs for a market of one million users. – August 8, 2022.