‘Not if, but when’: M’sian health minister says country will ban vaping in 2026

Malaysia has decided to move towards a full ban on vaping, with enforcement targeted for 2026, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Speaking at a press conference after an official working visit to Hospital Permai in Johor Bahru on Tuesday (16 Dec), Dr Dzulkefly said the issue was no longer whether vaping would be banned, but when the ban would come into force.

According to the minister, the government has already made the policy decision and is now preparing to finalise the ban, which the Ministry of Health (MOH) aims to conclude by next year.

“We are already prepared, and as I have said before, the issue now is not ‘if’ we ban vaping, but ‘when’ we will do so,” he said, adding that enforcement is expected to take place by mid-2026, or at the latest by the end of that year.

Dr Dzulkefly acknowledged that the proposal was not tabled at the most recent Cabinet meeting, but expressed confidence that it would be brought forward again for consideration in early 2026.

Explaining the rationale behind the move, Dr Dzulkefly cited growing concerns over vape liquids being mixed with prohibited substances and synthetic drugs.

He said such substances have been linked to cases of drug-induced psychosis and serious mental health conditions, which have increasingly come to the attention of healthcare authorities.

During his visit to Hospital Permai, the minister said he was informed of a patient who had been referred to the psychiatric facility after experiencing psychosis linked to the use of substances such as synthetic cannabis, some of which were consumed through vaping.

“We are hearing too many reports about the harm associated with vaping and its misuse,” he said, noting that cases involving illicit or synthetic substances delivered via vape devices were becoming more prevalent.

These developments, he added, have heightened the urgency for the ministry to regulate, and ultimately prohibit, vape use in Malaysia.