Experts cite UK experience to call for total vape ban in Malaysia
Health experts say Malaysia should go further than Britain, struggling to contain ‘zombie vapes’ despite tighter regulations
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (MNTV) –The British experience with the fallout of vaping has made it imperative that a total ban on vaping is imposed in Malaysia, reports FMT.
Health experts pointed out that the United Kingdom’s experience has shown that partial bans might not be enough to protect young people.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Amar Singh said Malaysia should take note before the problem becomes entrenched locally. “We need a nationwide ban on vape products if we are serious about protecting our youth,” he said.
His warning comes as Malaysian authorities uncovered increasing numbers of vape devices laced with synthetic cannabinoids, etomidate and other psychoactive substances, not unlike the British “zombie vapes” epidemic.
Britain banned disposable vapes last year in a bid to curb youth vaping, but refillable devices remain legal, raising concerns that products contaminated with illegal substances could still reach children and young people.
Researchers analyzing vape devices confiscated from 114 secondary schools across England found that 13% contained a synthetic drug, with the figure rising to nearly one in four in London and Lancashire.
Authorities have also reported a growing number of children seeking treatment for vape addiction, with a 12-year-old recently put into an induced coma with a collapsed lung from drug laced vape in London.
Malaysia’s health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad recently said the growing number of drug-laced vape seizures had strengthened the case for tougher action as enforcement agencies grapple with illicit substances entering products readily accessible to young users.
Amar said many teenagers continue to see vaping as fashionable and relatively harmless, unaware that some products now contain substances capable of causing addiction and adverse effects within days.
“These include fits, loss of consciousness, panic attacks with feelings of terror, hallucinations, and psychosis. At times, just a one-time use of a ‘zombie vape’ can result in a life-threatening coma,” he said.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022, about 14.9% of Malaysians aged 13 to 17 use vape products, representing more than 300,000 adolescents. Some estimates place the figure closer to half a million now.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Ahmad Rostam Zin said newer psychoactive substances were significantly more potent than nicotine and could rapidly lead to a deterioration of brain function.
“Dependence and tolerance can begin after just a few puffs because many of these newer psychoactive substances are highly potent. In young people, whose brains are still developing, the effects can be particularly severe and long-lasting,” he said.
While others have proposed stricter licensing, enhanced product testing and tighter enforcement, health experts believe Malaysia should go further than Britain.
Amar said Britain’s experience demonstrated how illegal products could continue circulating despite tighter regulations and restrictions on disposable devices.
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