Vapes, e-cigarettes are not a viable alternative to quit smoking, says health advocates
SHAH ALAM - Alternative smoking products such as electronic cigarettes and vapes are not a viable alternative for those who want to quit smoking as these products are just as harmful, said two health advocacy organizations.
For Malaysian Women Action For Tobacco Control and Health (MyWATCH) President Roslizawati Mohd Ali said vaping as an alternative for those who wish to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco on their body, is not a good long term solution as the nicotine content in vapes sold in the country is very high.
“If you use vape in order to stop smoking traditional cigarettes which you think is more harmful, then you should know that it is not a smart move since we have more than 80 per cent of nicotine in the vapes sold in Malaysia,” she said.
She mentioned that smokers who want to stop smoking should go to smoking cessation clinics managed by the Health Ministry as they will be given proper guidelines and advice on the best way to help them to stop smoking for good.
She said that most smokers who started vaping with the intention to reduce their tobacco intake only ended up smoking both traditional cigarettes and vapes.
“It is not surprising and this is why it is important to go to the smoking cessation clinic. Because if you quit on your own, what makes you think you can stop?” she said.
Roslizawati commented that with the implementation of the act, vapes should also be banned since more than 80 per cent of nicotine in vapes is considered poisonous.
“How can you legalise poison? Vape should not be allowed to be sold in the open market unless it is under controlled conditions, medical, pharmaceutical and public health control,” she said.
Also speaking to Sinar Daily is Ikram Health Malaysia president Mohd Afiq Mohd Nor said that there is no such thing as a tobacco harm reduction as opposed to the claims made by the e-cigarette industry who often touted that their products are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
“How can they claim it is a harm reduction when until now, we still cannot figure out to what extent e-cigarettes can affect a human's body - the effect to the lungs, the content of nicotine and a lot of chemicals inside them,” he said.
Mohd Afiq explained that his organisation have insisted that they do not want any new product to be introduced with the possible implementation of the new Tobacco And Smoking Control Act in the near future.
Mohd Afiq said that it is a well-known fact that traditional cigarettes are harmful to health, but any new similar products can cause the same amount of harm.
“The new act does not mention that it includes vape, so we want all smoking products including vape to be banned.
“But if it will continue to be legal in Malaysia then the new act should also include the proper regulations for them to be sold or advertised in the nation,” he said.
He commented further that vape suppliers should only market their products to smokers and not the public since the mass advertisement on social media encourages non-smokers, especially youngsters to try vaping.
Users of new smoking products such as electronic cigarettes and vapes have seen an increase in recent time which is evident In the recent 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), where it charts 1.1 million users compared to only 600,000 users recorded through the 2016 National E-Cigarette Survey (NECS).
On January 16, 57 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) showed their support to the full proposal by the Health Ministry to table the Tobacco and Smoking Control Act and at the same time create provisions related to the "Generational End Game" at the Parliamentary session this year.
The NGOs voiced their concern over the new millennium smoking products such as electronic cigarettes and vapes, which contributes to the increase of smokers in Malaysia and this might delay the nation from reaching the End Game in the expected period.
