By DayakDaily Team
AS Sarawak considers a phased ban on vape products, the State must tread carefully between the need for tighter regulation and the risk of creating more problems than such a ban may solve. While concern over Sarawak’s vaping problem is valid and urgent, the State’s unique geography and cross-border trade realities may render prohibition not only impractical, but potentially dangerous and counterproductive.
Concern over the prevalence of vaping in Sarawak should not be understated. The Ministry of Health’s 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) reported a notable rise in vaping in Sarawak, with prevalence increasing to 7.3 per cent in 2023 from 4.5 per cent four years earlier. Worryingly, those aged 15 to 24 recorded the highest usage at 9.7 per cent, followed closely by the 25 to 34 age group at 8.3 per cent. These figures clearly indicate that vaping is a growing problem in Sarawak, particularly among its youth.
On this score, there is a clear need for stronger enforcement and regulation of vaping in the Sarawak, especially to protect vulnerable and easily influenced young people. However, evidence from countries that have attempted outright prohibition shows that such bans tend to push the market underground, empower illicit operators, and expose consumers to far more dangerous, unregulated products.
Learning from other countries
Sarawak must look beyond its borders to understand the real impact of prohibition while identifying more effective ways to curb its vaping problem. In Australia, which has introduced some of the world’s toughest anti-vaping laws, a thriving illicit market has since emerged. Under a near-total ban where sales are restricted to pharmaceutical prescriptions, the country is now experiencing the opposite of its intended outcome.
Illegal disposable vapes now flood the market, with criminal syndicates stepping in to supply and distribute products to meet demand. As the illicit market expands, young people gain even broader access to unregulated products. It is estimated that over 90 per cent of vapes in Australia now circulate illegally, with the government struggling to regain control over the black market it inadvertently strengthened.
Meanwhile, closer to home, similar challenges persist. Singapore, often cited as a model of efficient governance and enforcement, banned vapes in 2018 and has since increased penalties for non-compliance. Yet, even a system known for its discipline and stringent policing struggles with the unintended effects of prohibition. A steady stream of illegal imports continues to enter via Johor and Batam, with frequent reports of smugglers being intercepted at the borders.
Alarmingly, it has been reported that at least 3,100 students annually between 2022 and 2024 were caught vaping despite the total ban. If Singapore, with all its enforcement capabilities, cannot keep vapes out, Sarawak is likely to face even greater challenges.
Similarly, Thailand presents another cautionary example. The country has enforced a total vape ban since 2014, yet the results have been far from positive. Instead, widespread smuggling networks have emerged across its many borders. According to Thailand’s National Statistical Office, the number of vape users increased from 78,000 in 2021 to over 400,000 in 2024, despite the total ban. An additional unintended consequence has been an increased risk of corruption and extortion. For example, in 2023, six Thai police officers were accused of extorting tourists caught with vapes for 27,000 baht (approximately RM3,500). This illustrates how total prohibition has not only failed to curb vaping in Thailand, but has also generated a range of negative social consequences.
The Sarawak context
In Sarawak’s case, geography makes the enforcement of a total ban particularly complex. The State’s vast landmass, dispersed rural communities, river-based transport routes and porous land borders make it extremely difficult to eliminate illicit supply.
Sarawak already records the highest prevalence of adolescent vape users in the country, at approximately 20.3 per cent. There have also been multiple cases involving illicit substances, including drugs, found within the State’s vape market despite existing regulations. These realities suggest that a total ban would likely exacerbate, rather than resolve, current challenges.
Drawing lessons from other countries, prohibition would almost certainly strengthen the black market, leading to an influx of dangerous, unregulated and potentially drug-laced products that are accessible to all age groups. Once such an illicit market takes hold, dismantling it becomes exponentially more difficult, as Australia is now discovering.
Protecting Sarawakians means regulating, not banning
To protect the health and safety of Sarawakians, the message is clear: the State should pursue stricter regulation of vape products rather than an outright ban. This includes stronger enforcement of minimum age requirements and mandatory identification checks at the point of sale, as well as clear certification standards to control nicotine levels and ensure that no unregulated additives are present.
The State government, through its local authorities, must also tighten licensing requirements for retailers to ensure accountability, while imposing strict penalties on illegal sellers who fail to comply. To further discourage consumption, particularly among young people, a gradual increase in taxation should also be implemented.
Regulation keeps the market visible, traceable and manageable, allowing authorities to control what enters Sarawak and who can purchase it. Prohibition, by contrast, fuels a flourishing black market that becomes increasingly difficult to control once driven underground. With global evidence showing that the risks of prohibition outweigh its benefits, Sarawak must proceed cautiously in its efforts to build a healthier society. — DayakDaily
