KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 ― Putrajaya has decided not to prohibit vaping, a federal minister said today, adding that this was in keeping with the “aspirations” of Malaysian youths.

According to Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the decision was reached during the Cabinet meeting this morning.

“Good news for vapers, vape brewers and vape businesses...the Cabinet has decided today to not ban the use of vapes.

“Thank you Prime Minister and the government for understanding the aspirations of the youths,” the minister said in a posting on his personal Facebook page.

Yesterday the Health Ministry said it has yet to decide whether to proceed with plans to prohibit vaping and that such a ban would also affect cigarettes.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahaya explained that this is because like cigarettes, vapes contain nicotine.

He added that the ministry is in the midst of creating a new law involving the use of tobacco, vaping and shisha, and that it was too soon to draw conclusions on the matter.

The National Fatwa Council has prohibited Muslims from vaping amid the rapid growth of the multi-million ringgit industry in Malaysia that is purportedly the second biggest in the world.

Local daily The Star reported last June Vaporizer Convention Kuala Lumpur 2015 co-organiser Ibrahim Mohamed as saying that Malaysia’s vape industry, worth half a billion ringgit, is the second biggest globally after the United States and is the largest in Asia.

Ibrahim reportedly said there are an estimated one million vapers in Malaysia.

The Star reported vapers as saying that the practice has helped them quit smoking.