KUALA LUMPUR: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) today called on the Education Ministry to introduce a new syllabus on the dangers of vapes and nicotine in schools.
Its education officer N. V. Subbarow said it was an urgent issue, hence the students must be educated on the dangers of tobacco, vapes, e-cigarette and nicotine.
He said during CAP's anti-smoking and danger of vape talks, many students admitted that they were not aware of the dangers of nicotine in cigarettes and vape liquids.
"They also admitted that the liquids for the vape are fruit flavours, which are chemical nicotine flavours.
"The victims are school children and it is time to save these innocent children. As such, CAP suggests a new syllabus on dangers of tobacco and vape liquids which contain nicotine," he said in a statement today.
Subbarow said according to the World Health Organisation, there are 16,000 chemical flavours which contain nicotine in the market being sold to kids and adults.
He said at present, there are five million smokers, and 1.5 million vapers and the new statistics show that 43,019 secondary school students and 341 primary school students are found to be smoking cigarettes.
"Day by day the number of smokers and vapers in Malaysia among school students is increasing."
He added CAP has been receiving complaints from parents and teachers that their teenage children are buying vaping products that contain nicotine, following the removal of nicotine from the poisons act from April 1.
"It is illogical to remove nicotine from the list of poisons whe there has been no tax rise on cigarettes for the past seven years.
"Now kids can walk into any vape shop to buy a vape product that contains poison, and we may have increased numbers of new smokers due to lower prices."
Subbarow said a CAP survey also shows the alarming number of smokers and vapers at secondary, primary and university levels.
"The number is increasing daily as it is easily available anywhere. At every corner of the country, there is a shop selling these products, alongside the roadside stalls."