Vaping: An open letter to cabinet ministers

Dear Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the cabinet ministers,

It is very disheartening to learn that you, as one of the cabinet members, had rejoiced in the reversal of the Majlis Fatwa’s verdict to ban vaping among Muslims, by none other than the cabinet of Malaysia.

It is also a ‘tragedy’ that the government has taken the Fatwa lightly, just as they had taken the Fatwa on cigarettes, lightly. This, despite another ministry, Ministry of Health had advised against smoking and now vaping.

As the minister of Rural and Regional Development, we as responsible community, parents and health professionals DO NOT THINK that the benefits to vape brewers and other vaping industries OUTWEIGH the social evil, vaping has on our youth.

First of all, the liquid in vape still has nicotine although the content of tar is much lower as compared to cigarette. It’s too early to know the long term complications of vaping but to disregard what smoking had done to the lung, which also shares the same nicotine element, is simply foolish.

Secondly, nicotine has the element of addiction and to argue that it’s one of the best method to stop smoking, is also arguable. As per the first point, we do not know the long term effects. It could be worse than smoking.

Now, professionals have also expressed concern that instead of treating cigarettes addiction, the relaxed attitude towards vaping, the impression that it is safer than cigarettes may backfires into non-smoker becoming vapers. Worse, many teenagers may have the impression that vaping is completely safe and a healthy lifestyle, since the cabinet approved it and since “vaping festivals” have taken stage without any concern from the government.

Thirdly, the content of vape is not regulated as in the case of cigarettes. The dose, concentration of the substances in liquid is not known.

Last, but not least, the intention to help Bumiputera or small-medium entrepreneurs should not be made without assessing the impact it has on social and health of the community. The hope to get benefit through taxes mechanism is simply disastrous, and reflect the shallow mentality of the government to discriminate and assess wisely on sources of income. Find something that is not harmful to your people!

A nation addicted to vaping is the last thing we want. It’s not easy to curb addiction to drug, smoking and now vaping. We are still struggling with these menaces. Any effort to stop them must be made at the earliest, infancy stage and therefore I fully support Majlis Fatwa which has issued the edict Haram for vaping as early as August 2015.

Prof Madya Dr Rafidah Hanim Mokhtar
Wanita Isma Information Chief

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, and should not be attributed to ismaweb.net

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