KUALA LUMPUR: Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, has called for an outright ban on vaping following a concerning rise in drug addiction cases in Pahang.
He said that smoking and vaping were often the starting points for drug abuse.
"Vaping is one such product that is harmful to health. We need to pay close attention to this issue, and I will raise it with the government, calling for a complete ban on these devices," he said.
Expressing alarm over the state's drug abuse statistics, the Sultan revealed that Pahang ranked fifth nationwide, with 11,750 individuals under surveillance by the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).
What is particularly troubling, he said, was that 57 per cent of these individuals were young people aged between 15 and 30.
"These numbers are deeply worrying, and what is even more concerning is that a significant portion of those affected are youth," he said during the 2024 Pahang Maahad Tahfiz Excellence Awards Ceremony (MTNP) yesterday.
The Sultan said that the role of parents in addressing this issue was important, urging them to closely monitor and guide their children.
"This crisis involves our own children. It's time for parents in Pahang to take action, whether their children are involved or not, and offer proper advice and support. Without supervision, the number of addicts may continue to rise," he warned.