Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia is stepping up controls on electronic cigarettes as the annual healthcare and economic burden linked to vaping-related diseases has climbed to an estimated 369 million MYR (about 90 million USD), exceeding the government's excise duty revenue from vape products.
According to a written reply by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) published on the Dewan Negara (Senate) website on July 29, the health and economic costs associated with vaping-related illnesses significantly outweigh the 354.51 million MYR in excise duty collected from e-cigarette products between 2023 and June 11, 2026.
The MOH said it is tightening oversight of high-risk vaping products and is considering a proposal to ban bottled e-cigarette liquids because they can be mixed with drugs and other prohibited substances.
It emphasised that any official decision, including the possibility of introducing a comprehensive ban on vape products, would be based on scientific evidence, current data and public health considerations./.
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Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to expand by 4.9% in 2026 and 5% in 2027. Inflation is projected to rise to 2.1% in 2026 and 2.3% in 2027, driven by higher wages and energy prices, while unemployment is expected to decline further to a healthy 2.9% in 2026.
