In 2023, the government revealed the Generational End Game (GEG) Bill, a provision that seemingly promised the dawn of a new age — one where youths will no longer succumb to the vice of smoking.
Fast forward to today, and the bill has not come to fruition, likely due to lobbying from the tobacco and vape industry.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the government has opted to restrict the sale of vape products under Act 852’s newly established Control of Smoking Products for Public Health (Control of Sale) Regulations 2024.
In my eyes, Malaysia is now stuck in limbo, struggling to strike a balance between our desperate need for tax revenue and protecting its youths.
I have never considered myself one of the subjects targeted by the Bill, nor the newly implemented regulations. Nonetheless, I think that vape banning would have failed even if passed.
When solving a problem, we may be unintentionally creating another. The Bill could have given rise to a larger problem — a black market for vapes.
A case in point is our neighbour, Thailand, which banned all forms of e-cigarettes in 2014. Despite that, Thailand now faces a crisis in the form of a US$46 million vape black market. The Thai government has chosen to take a stand and is now facing the repercussions.
I started vaping as a teen mainly out of curiosity, and I can assure you that youths like me are attracted to forbidden stuff. The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022 has revealed that the prevalence of vaping among youths aged between 13 and 17 has increased to 14.9 per cent.
Non-governmental organisations have been proactively involving themselves in anti-vaping campaigns, and one of them brought up the case of students vomiting after vaping.
Clearly, the curious youths will get their hands (and lips) on vape one way or another.
Hence, I have chosen to take the stand of educating instead of forbidding.
In fact, the Education Ministry introduced the Five Minute Anti-Cigarette/Vape Programme in early 2023, essentially aiming to deter youths from vaping. To intensify their efforts, the Education Ministry and the Ministry of Health could work together with NGOs to organise more campaigns in primary and secondary schools.
Speaking from personal experience, students are more willing to listen to outside voices than talks and demonstrations given by their own teachers during assemblies.
Furthermore, I believe that a tonal shift from a harsh stance against vaping to a more laidback, but still educational, one would benefit youths the most.
Instead of one-sided talks against vaping, they could invite vapers to have peer-sharing sessions, or even medical experts to share their findings on vaping.
I am well aware of the fact that vaping is not a choice, but an addiction.
Therefore, I am neither advocating for the reconsideration of the GEG Bill, nor am I stopping anybody from vaping; both would be too rich, especially coming from someone like me.
As selfish as it may sound, I wish to see the government put in more resources in creating neutral grounds for youths to make up their own mind on vaping.
Even if our future is to be shrouded in strawberry-flavoured clouds, I would be glad to know that at least the clouds did not originate from dirty, unregulated waters.
Law Zhen Bond is a third-year student in the Bachelor of Communication in Media Studies programme at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
