25 September 2025
By Nor Ain Mohamed Radhi – New Straits Times
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is targeting a ban on vape products by mid-next year, said minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He explained that the ministry is adopting a phased approach to the ban.
“I cannot preempt the cabinet’s decision, but we are looking at somewhere in the middle of 2026, the first half of the year. If not, then the second half.
“And you must remember that there are many other factors we need to consider, but we definitely want to ban vaping,” he told reporters after launching the National Blueprint for Behavioural Insights in Health here.
Dzulkefly said an expert committee is looking into the matter before detailed findings and arguments are presented to the cabinet.
On Sept 11, Dzulkefly said the ministry is finalising a cabinet memorandum on the proposed vape ban, but could not disclose details until it has been deliberated.
On Sept 10, Dzulkefly said in a written reply in the Dewan Negara that the government would impose a full ban on the sale of electronic cigarettes and vape products as part of efforts to curb their misuse.
He said the ban would be implemented in stages, beginning with a prohibition on open-system vape devices, and would gradually extend to all types of vape products until the entire category was covered.