Promoting fitness programmes to counter vaping

The Ministry of Youth and Sports is committed to promoting sports, recreational and fitness programmes to boost awareness among youths on the electronic cigarette or vape, it said Tuesday.

In a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat, the ministry explained that it cooperated with numerous quarters to conduct a sporting nation programme to create a fit and health society as an alternative to counter vaping.

"The smoking of vape is fast becoming a culture not only among youths and adults but even families.

"Currently, many business premises are selling accessories and vape liquid," the ministry said in reply to a question from Datuk Koh Nai Kwong (BN-Alor Gajah) on the efforts of the ministry to change the lifestyle and understanding of youths towards the e-cigarette which was becoming popular.

It said a detailed study on the move to control e-cigarette was being conducted to ensure comprehensive and efficient control of the activity.

The ministry said enforcement against and regulation of vaping was important to deter people, especially youths, who had the potential to suffer from numerous illnesses such as lung cancer and cardiovascular and breathing problems.

In the meantime, the ministry stated, the World Health Organisation was of the opinion that the level of safety of vaping was still not valid because not many studies had been conducted.

"The use of electronic cigarette or vape as a replacement or cure for smoking also cannot be proven.

"We fear using electronic cigarette or vape may give rise to the smoking habit among youths and the coming generation because it is similar to smoking a real cigarette," said the ministry.