KUCHING: A new law is being drafted in Sarawak to ban the sale of vaping devices to school students and teenagers in a bid to curb rising addiction among youth.
State Minister for Women, Community Wellbeing and Family Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the legislation is necessary as more young people are becoming addicted to vaping.
“My ministry is in the process of formulating these very strict regulations.
“We have identified key areas of concern, as vaping is becoming increasingly widespread among students and teenagers, including in towns like Miri and Sibu.
“A Cabinet paper is being prepared by my ministry for this proposed law,“ she said after attending a drug prevention briefing with the police at her ministry here.
Fatimah added that the State Attorney General, State Secretary and State Financial Officer are being consulted as part of the process.
According to previous reports, most teen vapers in Sarawak are aged between 13 and 17.
“It is a real cause of concern that Sarawak teens are getting hooked on smoking at such a young age,” she said.
Her ministry, she added, must chart a clear path forward to aggressively tackle the growing issue among youth in the state.
