Vape Dealers Fear Rm5mil Losses Urge Terengganu To Postpone Ban

---

 The traders say the three-month grace period is not enough time to sell off their stocks and switch their line of business.
The Terengganu government is set to enforce a ban on the sale of vape and e-cigarette products from Aug 1.PETALING JAYA: Vape traders in Terengganu have called for more time before the state government bans the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes
The Terengganu branch of the Malay Vape Traders Association said the ban could cause losses of RM5 million a month for the association’s 169 members.
The group’s president, Kamaruzaman Mahmud, said the three-month grace period was too short for traders to sell off their stocks and switch to another line of business.
He also claimed the ban was made without seeking the opinions of the business community, Utusan Malaysia reported.
“Vape product traders require a long time to prepare for the closure of their businesses or venture into new opportunities,” he was quoted as saying after a protest gathering in Kuala Terengganu.
Earlier today, Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor said the state executive council would discuss a possible ban on vape sales in Kedah at its meeting next week. “If possible, we want to follow in Terengganu’s footsteps,” he said.
On Thursday, Terengganu state executive councillor Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah said a state government ban on the sale of e-cigarettes and vapes was scheduled to be enforced from Aug 1.
Wan Sukairi said advertisement of these products would also be prohibited.
However, Kamaruzaman disputed the state government’s power to enforce the ban.
He said the directive was against the Public Health Smoking Products Control Act passed by Parliament last year which introduced a comprehensive and effective regulation on these products, rather than an absolute ban.
“Banning the sale of vapes is not the best method to prevent schoolchildren from using it. On the contrary, implementing strict regulations as outlined by the federal government is more practical and responsible,” he said.
On April 18, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the issuance of licenses to vape and e-cigarette traders was under the purview of state and local authorities.
Dzulkefly said the provisions of the tobacco control by-laws allow state governments to set policies for the sale of vape and e-cigarette devices in their own jurisdictions. - FMT

---