GEORGE TOWN, Nov 30 — Penang is looking at amending state bylaws to make smoke-free zones in the state vape-free too, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.

The Penang lawmaker said that state executive councillors will need to discuss on amending the necessary bylaws to ban vaping at smoke-free zones.

"We strongly believe that smoke-free zones have to be vape-free too so we need to amend the local council bylaws to implement this," he said in a press conference today after opening the International Symposium on Intangible Cultural Heritage here.

He said Johor Sultan's royal decree to ban e-cigarette outlets in the state from January 1 onwards would have some impact on Penang's decision on whether to fully ban vaping too.

He said the state will need to look at how Johor implement its local regulations to ban vaping.

"The state excos will still need discuss this first," he said.

Yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar said Johor will apply local regulations to prohibit the opening of e-cigarettes or vape outlets from January 1 onwards.

Lim said Penang will not implement a similar state-wide ban yet as the state exco will still need to discuss the regulations to put in place such a move.

There are 22 types of premises and various areas in Penang that are gazetted as non-smoking zones such as six recreational parks, the George Town heritage zone, public transportation, government offices and air-conditioned places such as restaurants and hotels.

The state health department had earlier said it could not stop those who smoke e-cigarettes within smoke-free zones due to a lack of any laws to allow for enforcement.

"We had previously left it to the health department under the health ministry to decide on this but now, due to Johor's move, we too will look at how we can make smoke free zones as vape free too," Lim said.

Vaping has been in the limelight in recent weeks after the Health Ministry announced that it was considering a ban of the sale of e-cigarettes due to possible health concerns.