(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia is planning to enforce stricter regulations for vaping in a bid to discourage its use among teens in the country, Bernama reported, citing comments from Deputy Health Minister Lee Boon Chye.
The laws around vaping may replicate those for cigarettes in certain areas, such as age limits, price, taxes and use in public spaces, Lee said, according to the government-owned news agency.
“We want to ensure those aged 18 and below are not exposed to vaping, which eventually leads to addiction and moral decadence,” he said.
The country is also keen to ensure that vape juice is not sold to individuals after having been mixed with other chemicals, the report added. Lee added that the draft-regulation has been sent to the attorney general and may get discussed in parliament next year.
Malaysia is the latest in a string of countries to consider stricter rules on e-cigarettes. A global debate has brewed following reports in the U.S. of a mysterious lung disease that hospitalized more than 2,000 people and killed 47.
Read More: How Vaping-Related Deaths Put Cloud Over E-Cigarettes
To contact the reporter on this story: Abhishek Vishnoi in Singapore at avishnoi4@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lianting Tu at ltu4@bloomberg.net, Siraj Datoo, Kurt Schussler
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