SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan government fully supports the ban on the sale and use of vapes in the state but insists that clear and firm regulations must accompany the prohibition to ensure effective enforcement.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun emphasised that without specific laws, the ban may prove ineffective as sales and usage continue unchecked.
“The Conference of Rulers has agreed for states to ban vape, and it appears all states are in favour. However, when there is an agreement but no accompanying regulation, this needs to be reviewed so that laws can be enforced,“ he told reporters at the Negeri Sembilan legislative assembly.
Aminuddin, who is also the Port Dickson MP, warned against a situation where the ban is announced but sales remain rampant, rendering the prohibition meaningless.
He urged security forces and enforcement agencies, including the Health Ministry (MOH), to intensify efforts to prevent vapes containing prohibited substances like magic mushrooms from entering the market.
Responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohd Asna Amin (BN-Lenggeng), Aminuddin stated that the state will defer to the Federal Government to finalise regulations before officially enforcing the ban.
He clarified that under Section 3 of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, all smoking products must be registered with the MOH before import, manufacture, or distribution.
“Smoking products containing prohibited substances regulated under the Poisons Act 1952, including psilocybin from magic mushrooms, will not be approved for registration,“ he said.
The statement came in reply to Suhaimizan Bizar’s (BN-Gemencheh) query on curbing vape abuse and ensuring targeted enforcement to avoid unfairly affecting legitimate businesses. – Bernama