IPOH, Jan 14 — The Perak government has instructed the local authorities (PBT) to stop issuing new premises licences to electronic cigarettes or vape sellers in the state.
State Health, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs, National Integration and New Village Development Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said to date, the local authorities had issued licences to 23 premises selling vape.
“We are looking at how to deal with the owner of the premises. We need to do this in line with the state government efforts to foster healthy lifestyle among the people,” he told reporters after attending the state-level ‘Healthy Without Vape’ seminar at the Home Ministry, here, today.
Mah said the state government would be taking the move until the federal government and the Ministry of Health made the final decision on the issue of electronic cigarettes.
State deputy director of Health (Pharmacy) Mohd Yunos Shaari said vape liquid containing nicotine would only be sold or supplied by a licenced pharmacy owner and registered medical practitioner for therapeutic use, under the Poisons Act 1952.
“This means that the liquid containing nicotine cannot be sold by anyone else.
“Those who can sell the products must get authorisation from the Drug Control Authority but none of the sellers in the state have done so,” he said.
State Health director Datuk Dr Juita Ghazalie said the department’s pharmacy unit had never issued any licence under the Poisons Act to the electronic cigarette or vape sellers in Perak.
Meanwhile in Temerloh, the state government had welcomed the decision by the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) to ban electronic cigarettes or vape.
Health, Human Resources and Special Tasks Committee chairman Datuk Norol Azali Sulaiman said the state government would get opinions from various parties in determining the appropriate and effective rules and regulations.
Norol Azali spoke to reporters after handing over the flood compensation to Felcra Berhad participants in Paya Puyu, here.
MUIP had declared a ban on vaping among Muslims in the state as it poses a health hazard.
Its president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said the decision was made during the Pahang Fatwa committee meeting on January 4. — Bernama
