PETALING JAYA: Insufficient funding and ineffective enforcement have contributed to the rising number of students caught smoking and vaping, said Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia public health medicine specialist Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh.
“The government’s limited budget and poor prioritisation have significantly hindered efforts to curb smoking and vaping among students. Insufficient funding restricts the resources required to discourage students from involvement in such harmful activities,” she said.
Sharifa Ezat was commenting on Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh’s Nov 5 statement that 2,365 students were involved in smoking, and 12,252 were caught vaping over the past nine months.
She said Malaysia’s wide borders and proximity to vape producing countries like China, contributed to enforcement leakages, allowing such products to reach young users.
“Failure to prioritise this growing problem has caused enforcement agencies to struggle to allocate the necessary personnel and tools to prevent illegal sales and imports of vape products.”
Sharifa Ezat said early exposure to nicotine and its use affects adolescent brain development and disrupts the formation of “brain circuits” that control attention and learning.
She added that young students are more susceptible to nicotine addiction and harm, including poisoning and fatalities.
“If not curbed, nicotine addiction is more easily developed in the adolescent brain than in adults. Hence, anti-vaping and anti-smoking education should start early, as children as young as 10 are being introduced to tobacco, usually through a male parent, relatives or family members.
“Such exposure has made it more crucial to educate them before they encounter these substances that can lead to long-term health issues.”
The Malaysian Muslim Teachers Association also urged the authorities to address the smoking and vaping menace before it gets out of hand.
Its president, Mohd Azizee Hassan, said the issue persists despite countless media reports highlighting the growing number of students smoking and vaping.
He called for comprehensive enforcement involving various ministries so that policies could be developed and tobacco laws tightened to discourage the habit.
“Politicians need to prioritise the nation’s well-being over political interests. Even though those involved in it represent only 0.2% of all students in Malaysia, it should be of concern to all parties.”
On Oct 9, theSun reported that vape products are intentionally made to look like stationery to entice students to buy them.
Mohd Azizee said while stricter enforcement is needed, school administrators should play a role in monitoring and enforcing the rules.
He said often, students engage in such activities outside school grounds, which is beyond the school’s jurisdiction.
“The smoke-free school concept is good, but the challenge arises after school hours. So social support from parents and the community is crucial,” he said.
National Association of Private Educational Institutions secretary-general Dr Teh Choon Jin said schools have policies against smoking and vaping. But he also pointed to poor enforcement as a challenge.
“The Health Ministry’s Five-Year Advocacy Plan, which aims to protect young people from smoking, could be used as a model to encourage similar outreach on vaping,” he said.
“On a broader scale, policies like the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 set strict regulations, including the ban on vape sales within 40m of schools and preventing online sales to minors,” he said.
