The regulation of vape and electronic cigarettes is urgently needed, according to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
She emphasized the importance of this not only for athletes, but for the wider community as well.
Yeoh informed the Dewan Rakyat that her ministry had designated complexes under its jurisdiction to be free of cigarette smoking and vaping.
“This is in line with existing tobacco control laws, which prohibit smoking in stadiums and sports areas,” she stated during her ministry’s winding-up speech at the committee level on Tuesday (Nov 21).
Yeoh also mentioned that vapes were among the items banned from being brought into stadiums.
Along with cigarettes, lighters, power banks, and umbrellas, they are considered items that pose a risk to others.
“Safety wardens will conduct physical checks on those entering stadiums, while Health Ministry officials will monitor and penalize those caught smoking or vaping in the facilities,” she explained.
Yeoh added that the Rakan Muda program launching next year will include awareness campaigns against the use of nicotine and vapes, as it has a larger budget.
“The Youth and Sports Ministry does not condone smoking or vaping,” Yeoh reiterated.
She was responding to an earlier proposal by Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal (PN-Machang) on whether the Rakan Muda program could be utilized to educate youths against vaping, similar to the “youth hate drugs” (belia benci dadah) program.
At a press conference, Wan Ahmad Fayshal called for the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 to be passed.
He remarked that the issue of vaping “became more problematic” when nicotine was excluded from the list of poisons earlier this year.
“The Health Minister has stated that the second reading of the bill will be tabled before the end of this sitting.
“We hope it will really be tabled,” he said.
