KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Several pro-vape groups have taken offence to Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz’s warning Tuesday that vaping could lead to drug use and told the retired senior police officer that even consuming paracetamol or smoking cigarettes could do the same.

Perkasa Youth chief Irwan Fahmi Ideris told Mohd Najib, a former deputy inspector-general of police, that he was wrong to arrive at such a conclusion as vaping and taking drugs are two separate matters.

“If you want to use drugs, you can also do it by smoking cigarettes,” he pointed out when contacted by Malay Mail Online.

“Drug use does not come from vaping alone… it can even be Panadol overdose,” he added.

“His (Mohd Najib) statement is inaccurate, it is not right. And if this is the reason why government should ban vaping, then I say they might as well ban cigarettes.”

Pertubuhan Ikatan Usahawan Kecil dan Sederhana Malaysia’s (Ikhlas) Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah made a similar assertion.

He called it irrational of the former police officer to make such a claim when the latter was clearly aware that individuals often turn to drugs for many other reasons.

“I do not agree with him at all. It is really hypocritical and irrational... there are many ways people can use drugs and you cannot blame it solely on vape,” the Ikhlas president said.

Malaysian E-Vaporisers and Tobacco Alternative Association’s (Mevta) Allan Foo expressed frustration with Mohd Najib’s remark and said the simplistic assumption was akin to the authorities banning cars simply because one “madman” killed someone with his or her reckless driving.

Mohd Najib was on Tuesday quoted in local Malay daily Sinar Harian as saying that 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.

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.

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.

On Monday, 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.

Last 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.