Malaysia’s Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2024 (Act 852) and smoking products rules, which extends to vapes, will come into effect this August. Photo credit: Fajri Nugroho, Pexels.
According to prime minister and finance minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian government is taking steps to regulate vape products more comprehensively.
The Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2024 (Act 852) was gazetted on January 2 this year, and the Health Ministry is currently finalizing the smoking products rules under this Act, which will include regulations on vape products.
“Both the Act and the rules are expected to be enforced in August 2024. Once this regulation comes into effect, the regulatory mechanism on vape products will become more comprehensive and effective,“ Anwar added.
Malaysia generated RM141.1 million (US$30.2 million) in vape liquid taxes between 2021 and 2024, reports The Sun, citing Anwar’s written parliamentary reply.
Of the RM141.1 million collected, RM82.51 million came from non-nicotine vape liquid while RM58.55 million was from vape liquid containing nicotine.
This taxation includes an excise duty of 40 sen per milliliter on vape liquid, which was implemented on May 1, 2023. Additionally, since January 1, 2021, a 10% ad-valorem tax has been applied to both electronic and non-electronic smoking devices, including vapes.
He mentioned that the collected tax revenue will be channeled into the government's consolidated fund, as mandated by Article 97(1) of the Federal Constitution.