By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 24: Entrepreneurs involved in Sarawak’s vape industry are urged to explore and transition into other viable sectors as the State government stands firm on banning the use and sale of electronic cigarettes (vapes) to safeguard the wellbeing of its younger generation.
“Vape, especially the liquid used, can destroy our youths and undermine the values of the coming generation. That is why I fully support this ban,” said Sarawak Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, according to a TVS news report.
He made the remarks when met by reporters after flagging off the 3km Fun Run held in conjunction with the Girl Guides Health Carnival 2025 at the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) compound here today.
Commenting on entrepreneurs involved in the vape industry, Dr Ripin advised them to shift to other sectors that can also yield profitable returns.
He further stressed that vape use has caused many negative effects, particularly among the youth in the country, to the extent of harming families, communities, and the nation.
At the same time, he emphasised that efforts to curb vape use should not rely solely on law enforcement, but must also involve cooperation from all parties, including parents, communities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and government agencies.
“At the initial stage, we need to run awareness and education programmes to prevent vape use. Strict action is still important, but prevention through education is more effective in the long term,” Dr Ripin explained.
Earlier media reports stated that Sarawak ranked first in vape misuse among youths, based on data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2022, which showed the highest prevalence of vape use among teenagers aged 13–17, at about 20.3 per cent or around 39,608 individuals.
Moreover, vape use among youths aged 15 and above also increased from 4.5 per cent in 2019 to 7.3 per cent in 2023, warranting serious attention from the State government. — DayakDaily
