PETALING JAYA: Health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa says she expects to table a new bill on tobacco and vape control when Parliament resumes in May.
Zaliha said the health ministry would table a bill that will regulate all smoking products, including smoking materials containing nicotine, “to ensure comprehensive control over nicotine preparations or gels containing nicotine in e-cigarettes or vapes”.
Her statement came amid controversy over the removal of vape liquids and gels from the poisons list, clearing the way for over-the-counter sales. An excise duty of 40 sen per millilitre was imposed from today.
Zaliha came under criticism after she was alleged to have used her ministerial powers to overrule the Poisons Board, which had unanimously voted against exempting nicotine liquids and gels from the Poisons Act.
In August last year the previous government tabled a Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill which was referred to a select committee for review. However, the bill lapsed when Parliament was dissolved in October.
In February, the health ministry said it hoped to table the bill afresh in the near future so that enforcement can begin next year.
Zaliha said MPs, civil societies and professional bodies had been consulted in the preparation of the bill.
In the meantime, the health ministry would work on creating more awareness about the dangers of smoking through its anti-smoking programmes in schools and institutions of higher education.
Zaliha said the health ministry was aware of the negative feedback regarding the exclusion of nicotine liquids and gels from the Poisons List but said the exemption was in line with the government’s decision to tax such products.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is finance minister, had announced in his 2023 budget speech that the government would impose excise duty on liquid or gel products containing nicotine used for e-cigarettes and vaping.