KUALA LUMPUR: State governments have the authority to ban the sale of vape or e-cigarettes, through local councils, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He explained that states are empowered by local regulations to control the sale of such devices within their jurisdictions.
“We’ve seen several states withholding licences from vape traders. This is within their rights. They have the legal space to act based on local policies and by-laws,” he said.
Dzulkefly was speaking at a press conference after the pre-launch of the Malaysia International Healthcare (MIH) Megatrends 2025 Conference today.
He was responding to Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, who recently said state governments could ban the sale of e-cigarettes or vape, which are increasingly linked to synthetic drug abuse.
He added that at the federal level, the sale of vape products is governed under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which came into force in phases beginning Oct 1 last year.
Currently, the Act is in its advocacy phase to allow traders time to comply with the regulations before it is fully enforced on Oct 1 this year.
