KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 ― Trends abroad have shown that vape users are mixing drugs like methamphetamine (syabu) and marijuana in their vaping fluids, a former deputy police chief has alleged as he joined other critics in urging the authorities to ban vaping here.

According to Sinar Harian, former Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz claimed the use of drugs in vaping fluids is now rampant in the United States, and that e-cigarettes should be banned entirely in Malaysia in order to prevent the trend from spreading here.

“It is done by mixing drugs like syabu, marijuana and other substances that can be diluted in water. Then these drugs are put into the vape botol and inhaled.

“This is already a trend now in the US. So to me, it is better that vapes are banned entirely before the practice of using drugs spreads to our country,” he was quoted saying in the Malay daily's report today.

Mohd Najib, who is also formerly the director of the police narcotics division, reportedly added that the use of drug-laced vaping liquids would make drug enforcement even tougher for the authorities.

“This is because the consumption of drugs through vaporisers is even harder to trace. US anti-drug agencies have found that they can only trace and verify the use of these substances through lab tests.

Previously, synthetic drugs are taken in pill forms or smoked, he pointed out, but with vapes, it is hard to tell if users are inhaling drug-laced liquid or regular ones.

He also observed that many school children have picked up the vaping habit, and warned that these youths could just as easily move on to using drug-laced products in their e-cigarettes.

Putrajaya has been sending mixed messages over vaping in recent weeks, with the Health Ministry conducting raids on such outlets even as Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob encouraged their expansion.

Ismail had also announced the Cabinet decision not to ban vaping as suggested by the Health Ministry, which was followed by a statement from Health Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam announcing action against vape outlets.

Yesterday, however, the Health Ministry, undeterred by criticism over its raids, insisted that “vaping” outlets cannot stock or sell vaping liquids that have nicotine in them as long as they are not approved to do so by the Pharmacy Board.

Over the weekend, Malay-language daily Berita Harian quoted Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat as saying that drugs like marijuana, methamphetamine and ketum juice have been found in vape liquids sold in Johor.