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Malaysia Cracks Down On Online Promotion, Sale Of Vapes, Smoking Products

Once marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, research now shows that vapes carry serious health risks, including lung damage, meningitis, and cancer.

Unlike cigarettes, these devices are often ready to use, brightly colored, require little effort to activate, and appear more like toys than a harmful product. But due to its addictive flavor, people end up consuming more tobacco than those who smoke unflavored ones.

Globally, 33 countries ban the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), a category that includes e-cigarettes and vapes, according to a 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) report. Another 87 countries regulate the sale of ENDS.

Malaysia has become the latest country to intensify efforts to curb vaping, with the Health Ministry launching a major crackdown on the online promotion and sale of smoking and vape products under Ops Selamat PaPa.

In a statement, the ministry said the operation aims to target the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of all types of smoking products, and protect the younger generation.

“Following its increasing and widespread use, this operation was launched to protect the younger generation from the dangers of smoking products, including electronic cigarettes and vaping,” the statement said.

“We take the complaints raised on social media over online advertising and sales of vape products suspected of violating the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) seriously," it added.

The Health Ministry said it had investigated 10 websites following the complaints and requested that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission block four of them under the provisions of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588). The remaining six websites are still under investigation, The Straits Times reported.

According to the ministry, as of April 30, a total of 34,903 enforcement operations had been carried out following inspections at 683,704 premises nationwide.

“We constantly monitor online advertising and promotion of tobacco products, including the sale of vapes. We wish to stress that there will be no compromise for those who violate laws,” the ministry said.

UK Parliament Bans Cigarettes and Vapes

The UK Parliament has passed a “landmark bill” to ban smoking among children who were born on or after 1 January 2009.

Under the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, people aged 17 or younger face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes. This includes a ban on selling vapes to anyone under 18 and selling them through vending machines.

Vaping A Major Threat Among Under-5s in the US

Vaping has been a serious concern in the United States, with New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2025 filing a lawsuit against e-cigarette manufacturers and distributors.

The lawsuit accused the companies of fueling a youth vaping crisis, alleging that these companies that manufacture vapes, especially with flavors, have misled consumers about the safety of their products while deliberately targeting young people through deceptive marketing.

An April 2026 study, published in JAMA Network Open, for the first time assessed trends in young children's nicotine exposures across all types of products.

Shockingly, electronic cigarette-related incidents increased 243 percent over the past eight years in young children, especially among those under five years of age, said researchers from the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Vaping has also become a more common form of tobacco use among American middle and high school students.

As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1.6 million students used e-cigarettes in 2024, with 87.6 percent of them opting for a flavored product.

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Once marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, research now shows that vapes carry serious health risks, including lung damage, meningitis, and cancer.Unlike cigarettes, these devices are often ready to use, brightly colored, require little effort to activate, and appear more like toys than a harmful product. But due to its addictive flavor, people end up consuming more tobacco than those who smoke unflavored ones.Globally, 33 countries ban the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), a category that includes e-cigarettes and vapes, according to a 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) report. Another 87 countries regulate the sale of ENDS.Malaysia has become the latest country to intensify efforts to curb vaping, with the Health Ministry launching a major crackdown on the online promotion and sale of smoking and vape products under Ops Selamat PaPa. In a statement, the ministry said the operation aims to target the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of all types of smoking products, and protect the younger generation.“Following its increasing and widespread use, this operation was launched to protect the younger generation from the dangers of smoking products, including electronic cigarettes and vaping,” the statement said.“We take the complaints raised on social media over online advertising and sales of vape products suspected of violating the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) seriously," it added.The Health Ministry said it had investigated 10 websites following the complaints and requested that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission block four of them under the provisions of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).  The remaining six websites are still under investigation, The Straits Times reported.According to the ministry, as of April 30, a total of 34,903 enforcement operations had been carried out following inspections at 683,704 premises nationwide.“We constantly monitor online advertising and promotion of tobacco products, including the sale of vapes. We wish to stress that there will be no compromise for those who violate laws,” the ministry said.UK Parliament Bans Cigarettes and VapesThe UK Parliament has passed a “landmark bill” to ban smoking among children who were born on or after 1 January 2009.Under the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, people aged 17 or younger face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes. This includes a ban on selling vapes to anyone under 18 and selling them through vending machines. Vaping A Major Threat Among Under-5s in the US Vaping has been a serious concern in the United States, with New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2025 filing a lawsuit against e-cigarette manufacturers and distributors.The lawsuit accused the companies of fueling a youth vaping crisis, alleging that these companies that manufacture vapes, especially with flavors, have misled consumers about the safety of their products while deliberately targeting young people through deceptive marketing.An April 2026 study, published in JAMA Network Open, for the first time assessed trends in young children's nicotine exposures across all types of products.Shockingly, electronic cigarette-related incidents increased 243 percent over the past eight years in young children, especially among those under five years of age, said researchers from the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.Vaping has also become a more common form of tobacco use among American middle and high school students.As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1.6 million students used e-cigarettes in 2024, with 87.6 percent of them opting for a flavored product.

malaysia cracks down on online promotion, sale of vapes, smoking products

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Malaysia Cracks Down On Online Promotion, Sale Of Vapes, Smoking Products

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