Higher Education ministry to conduct study before banning vape in universities - Idris

Its Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the study needed to be done to get views from different perspectives to ensure any decisions taken were acceptable to all parties.

"From the health aspect, many are asking whether the vape contains nicotine or any materials that are not permitted, while from the social point of view some people say vape as a replacement for cigarettes and does not pose any health problems," he said.

He said this at a press conference after officiating the Asean Young Quality Assurance forum and round table meeting, here today.

Present was the organiser of the forum, Malaysian Qualifications Agency chief executive officer Prof Datuk Dr Rujhan Mustafa.

Idris said the ministry through Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) would conduct a comprehensive study on the practice of vape which is seen to have become a new culture among university students.

He said the study, which is expected take about six months to complete, would also be combined with studies conducted by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) before being presented to the Cabinet for further action.

However Idris said universities were allowed to decide on whether to ban vape at their respective institutions like the ban on smoking enforced in some universities.

Despite the differences of opinion on electronic cigarettes, there were several vice chancellors who had agreed not to allow vape on their campuses in line with the green campus practice, he said.