The vape tax gives a win-win situation to industry players, efforts to control smoking habits
Don’t repeat mistake of past govt, engage with vape industry
It must consider views from all sides, hold discussions with business players, says president
KUALA LUMPUR: The simple approach taken by the government by imposing a tax on the sale of vape liquid for electronic cigarettes which came into effect on April 1, is seen to provide a ‘win-win’ situation for industry players and the government’s efforts to stop the smoking habit among the people in this country.
The president of the Malaysian Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA), Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas, said the approach was appropriate given that the vape industry had been developed by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and local entrepreneurs.
“It has given birth to an ecosystem that has become part of the country’s economy. A drastic step to ban the use of vaping completely is not appropriate and will only wipe out the local industry,” he told Bernama on Wednesday.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said the move to impose the tax was one of the simple approaches to regulate smoking products that contain nicotine and stop the smoking habit among the people in this country.
In the meantime, the President of the Malaysian Vape Entity Organization (MOVE), Samsul Kamal Ariffin, said his party has been fighting for the vape industry to be regulated for almost 13 years.
“We understand and accept this taxing measure because this is part of the regulatory framework,” he said.
Thus, he suggested that the government provide a clear regulatory framework at three levels covering the manufacture of liquid for electronic cigarettes, sales and consumption.
He said, Malaysia needs regulation, among other things, to determine specific and controlled locations or areas for the manufacture of vape liquid, implement rules such as the distance between the premises and schools and the age limit of individuals who are allowed to enter the premises in addition to guidelines for users.
Meanwhile, an electronic cigarette user. Muhammad Amirul Razali, 27, said the implementation of the tax may prevent the new generation from dabbling with electronic cigarettes.
“Existing vape users will continue to buy this vape because it has become a habit. Cigarettes are taxed high, but people are still willing to buy,” said an engineer at a private company.
The owner of Molek Vape Store, Hiekal Rosli, 42, thinks the implementation of the tax will have an indirect effect on the price of electronic cigarettes in the market.
“So far from the information we have received, the producers will be taxed, so when producers are taxed, product prices are expected to increase,” he said.
Last April 1, the media reported that the government through a federal government gazette notice implemented a tax on the sale of vape liquid for electronic cigarettes at a rate of 40 cents per milliliter (ml).
