Vape industry group wants Malaysia govt to also tax vape eLiquids with nicotine

The Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) urged the government to impose excise duty on vape eLiquids with nicotine, in a statement issued today.

It also said “the vape industry must be quickly regulated, including regulating standards for vape eLiquids with nicotine.” 

During the Budget 2021 presentation in November, it was announced that an excise duty on liquids for e-cigarettes, including vape, at a rate of RM0.40 per ml would be imposed in January.

Recently, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department announced that the tax shall be imposed only on non-nicotine vape liquids.

Syed Azaudin Syed Ahmad, president of MVCC, said, “Any taxation and regulation imposed should be holistic and take into account the current market situation. 

“In the local market, more than 97 per cent of the vape eLiquids sold contain nicotine, with a similar trend seen in other countries. However, there is still no taxation and regulation covering vape eLiquids with nicotine.” 

He added that if the tax “is implemented only for non-nicotine liquids, the move would be an exercise in futility as it does not take into account industry and consumer needs.”

According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 conducted by the Ministry of Health, there are 1.12 million vapers in the country.

MVCC estimated that the vape industry in Malaysia is worth more than RM2 billion annually.

Syed Azaudin added that many developed countries have introduced regulations for the vape industry, including consumerism and product standards for vape eLiquids with nicotine. 

“Countries such as UK, New Zealand and Canada acknowledge the role of vape in helping cigarette smokers quit smoking and switch to vaping, which has proven to be less harmful than smoking. 

“These countries also have regulations that cover the industry and enable consumers to obtain products that adhere to standards that have been set.” — Malay Mail

[ IMAGE SOURCE ]

Related reading