KUALA LUMPUR: The government must take immediate steps in implementing regulations for the vape industry in Malaysia for it to reach its full potential.
Persatuan E-Vaporizers dan Tembakau Alternatif Malaysia (MEVTA), an industry association representing more than 2,000 members of vape businesses in Malaysia, reaffirms that the country's vape industry has great potential and has grown into a matured industry with a strong ecosystem, from manufacturers, importers and retailers, the majority of whom are from the Bumiputera community.
MEVTA deputy secretary general Syamil Hanafiah said there are many local entrepreneurs especially from the Bumiputera community that have invested in the vape industry over the past decade, growing this sector into a strong ecosystem.
"We believe many more local entrepreneurs will enter this market, driven by domestic and foreign investment, if regulations are introduced in Malaysia.
"This will not only generate economic activities for entrepreneurs and local businesses but also create job opportunities especially among the Bumiputera community," he said in a statement today.
Syamil said MEVTA believes the vape industry can create more jobs in manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sales once the necessary regulations are introduced.
The association also strongly supports the call made by the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) call for the government to regulate the vape industry.
Further, Syamil also commented on the findings from the Study on the Malaysian Vaping Industry which was published by the MVCC recently.
"The study has confirmed that there are many vape users in Malaysia and a huge local vape industry has been established. This is a fact that cannot be ignored," he said.
The study by the MVCC which was published recently reported that the vape industry is worth RM2.27 billion involving 3,300 businesses, predominantly owned by Bumiputera
entrepreneurs, creating jobs for more than 15,000 workers.
The study has also shown that there are 1.12 million vape users in Malaysia based on statistics by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.
MEVTA believes that the size of the industry may be bigger as many players including shop owners and manufacturers choose not to market their business openly.
This is because the Malaysian Ministry of Health has yet to appropriately acknowledge vape products although more and more smokers have switched to vape because many are aware that it has been proven with international studies showing vaping is less harmful than smoking and effective in helping smokers quit.
"UK's health agency, Public Health England, has concluded that vape is 95 per cent less harmful than smoking. This is supported by various parties including international public health NGOs as well as New Zealand's and Canada's health agency.
"These findings have been shared by MEVTA with the Malaysian Ministry of Health several years ago. However, the Ministry has remained adamant not to appropriately acknowledge vape products," said Syamil.
MEVTA is also of the opinion that the excise duty that is being introduced on vape products needs to be widened to include vape e-liquids with nicotine and regulations need to be implemented to allow nicotine to be used in vape e-liquids.
For now, the tax collection for the government from the vape industry is small as the excise duty is only implemented for non-nicotine vape e-liquids.
According to MEVTA's estimation, less than 1 per cent of the vape products in the market does not contain nicotine.
Syamil said therefore, the excise duty needs to be broadened to include vape e-liquids with nicotine, and regulations must be introduced as soon as possible including regulations to permit the use of nicotine in e-liquids, as seen in developed nations.
"We urge the government to take into consideration all these aspects in allowing the vape industry to reach its full potential," he said.