Penang will monitor the Health Ministry’s e-cigarette enforcement starting in October before deciding on a total ban.
State Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman, Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, said the state government would also take into account the federal government’s final position before making a decision.
He noted that during the recently concluded Parliament sitting, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had made clear that the issue was not whether to ban, but when to ban.
Under current rules, any e-cigarette product not registered with the Health Ministry will be seized by enforcement agencies from Oct 1.
Gooi added that recent reports showed states which have already implemented a full ban are facing new problems, with e-cigarette products being sold through perfume shops, small appliance outlets and even on the black market.
“If these products flow into the black market, it will be a huge challenge. Apart from the difficulty in tracing the source, there is also the risk of e-cigarette liquids being mixed with soft drugs, which would make enforcement even more difficult,” he said.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Alissala Thian