By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 11: With Sarawak recording the highest number of underage vape users in Malaysia, Pertubuhan Transformasi Dayak (TRADA) is urging firm enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) to curb youth access to vaping products.
TRADA president Joseph Janting made the call in support of Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, who stated her ministry’s readiness to raise the issue at the Sarawak Cabinet level to determine the next course of action.
Speaking at the State-level National Anti-Drugs Day 2025 celebration at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Fatimah cited findings from the 2022 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), which showed Sarawak had the highest prevalence of vape use among youths aged 13 to 17, with a staggering 20.3 per cent or an estimated 39,608 individuals.
The NHMS also revealed that national vape use among adolescents increased from 4.5 per cent in 2019 to 7.3 per cent in 2023.
Alarmingly, Fatimah also noted that police recorded nine cases in Sarawak in 2023 involving vape products laced with illegal substances.
To this, Joseph underscored the urgent need for coordinated enforcement across federal and State agencies under the new Act 852, which came into effect on Oct 1, 2024.
“In 2022, when the NHMS data was collected, there were no laws regulating vape products, leaving underage access unchecked. Today, we have Act 852, a comprehensive regulatory framework. We must now use it decisively through firm and consistent enforcement,” he said in a statement today.
TRADA, a youth-focused advocacy group, voiced deep concern over recent reports of drug-laced vapes being openly sold on social media and e-commerce platforms.
Joseph warned that these illegal products, often disguised as flavoured vapes. are deliberately targeted at young people.
“This highlights the urgent need for targeted enforcement rather than blanket bans,” he stressed.
Commending the ministry for its proactive stance, he urged authorities to act swiftly against those selling to underage users.
“As a Sarawak-based NGO, TRADA stands ready to support efforts that protect our youth while ensuring fair and effective regulation,” he added.
TRADA also emphasised the need to focus enforcement on rogue operators who flout the law, rather than punishing compliant businesses.
“Legal vape sellers are now subject to strict licensing, registration, and compliance under Act 852. The real threat comes from illegal, unregulated sellers. These bad actors must face stiff penalties to deter future violations,” Joseph said.
He cautioned against calls for State-level bans on vaping, arguing that prohibition would only drive the market underground.
“Banning legal vape sales won’t solve the issue. The real danger lies in unregulated online platforms where illicit, drug-laced products are sold with impunity. Enforcement, not prohibition, is the key to protecting our youth,” he concluded. — DayakDaily
