Vaping and Legal Framework in Malaysia: An Initial Analysis of Regulation, Enforcement, and Comparative Perspectives

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of e-cigarette smoking among the Malaysian youth has brought with it legal and social health problems. This paper comments on the legal environment that governs vaping in Malaysia, the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 582) and evaluates how effective it is in the current issue. The research employs a doctrinal approach of research, whereby relevant statutes and other scholarly and secondary materials are examined to analyse the current regulatory framework and its implementation. The findings show that even though Act 582 is a major move in the direction of a more detailed legal system, it fails because of major gaps in enforcement. The absence of regulations in online markets, the non-existence of age restrictions, and inconsistency in jurisdiction undermine the primary functions of the law. A comparative analysis to the prohibitive regulatory model in Singapore is also cited that effective enforcement of the clarity of the legislation should be accompanied by strict enforcement. The paper concludes that the current framework is a step in the right direction. Nevertheless, more systematic reforms are required to enhance enforcement and guard the health of the population and the younger generation, in particular.