Vaping products across the world are generally believed to be less harmful than traditional cigarettes. This is why many manufacturers market them as healthy alternatives to traditional tobacco products.
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) or simply vapes use nicotine and flavoring in liquid form. Thus, they don’t emit smoke. This is considered a plus and is believed to help many addicted cigarette smokers quit smoking.
But just like any other product, vaping products can be abused and misused if not regulated. Already the Malaysian law enforcement agencies have uncovered many operations where illegal drugs such as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) are being sold and used in the e-liquid firm. Some of these illegal products are even sold openly on online platforms.
From a few of these cases, it’s already clear that the use of vaping products in the country is being abused. The National Anti-Drugs Agency (NADA) should work closely with the police to keep an eye on the vaping market in the country. These efforts should be focused on the youth to help protect them from marketers with criminal intentions.
Vaping is not an excuse for illegal drug use
Samsul Kamal Arifin of the Malaysian Organization of Vape Entities (MOVE) and the program director for the Malaysian Harm Awareness Association (HAA) argue that “the endgame is for society to lead a healthier lifestyle”. He believes that it’s unfair to link vaping with illegal drug abuse in the country. This is because vaping offers many benefits including helping chain smokers quit the habit.
Samsul points out that using genuine vaping products is 95% less harmful than smoking traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes by the Public Health England (PHE). This is a huge vote of confidence in the products that the government should not ignore.
He further believes that its drug users mix illegal drugs with vaping products and are not genuine vapers who are seeking to quit smoking. It is, therefore, wrong for anyone to equate vaping with illegal drug abuse. This is because vaping hard drugs can result in serious health consequences and even death and therefore no genuine vaper will want to engage in such an act.
Regulation is the future for all
Samsul has argued the Malaysian government to consider regulating the industry for the benefit of vaping users. He also wants the government to increase the enforcement of the law to eliminate illegal drug sellers and users in the vaping market in the country.
He says that if the industry is left unregulated it may pose a threat to non-smokers and even underage children. He believes that having the right laws in place will benefit not just the vaping product users but society in general.
Samsul further says:
“We want the products that are in the market to be tested, approved, and safe for use, and only regulation can ensure that. That is a win for consumers.”
Samsul says that regulating the vaping market should be three-pronged. First, the government should set up quality control standards for vaping products and then ensure that all products are tested and approved before being allowed on the market. Next, the government should make sure that consumers get the right information about all vaping products through proper labeling. Finally, the government should make sure that all rules governing the use of vaping products in the country are enforced.
