NUSAJAYA: The Johor Health Department will take stern action on shops that sell vaping products beginning January next year.
State Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat praised the call of the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on a ban of sales for vape beginning January 1.
"Vaping brings more harm than good to the society, especially youths as some users are mixing the vaping liquid with harmful substances that can be detrimental to their health," Ayub said.
However, a working paper on vape or e-cigarettes will have to be prepared to be presented at the state exco meeting next month or latest by the first week of January.
"We need time to meet with representatives of relevant agencies. The Pharmacy unit of the Health Department will have to flush out shops that are selling the products, which are unlicensed," he said.
He urged outlets selling the products to discard them immediately or return their consignments to where they got them from or face action under the Poisons Act 1952 or Food Act 1983.
However Ayub said there is no law against vape users.
Meanwhile, state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Abd Latif Bandi said checks on licences and applications will begin immediately to stop the trade.
Latif told reporters that the traders that are selling vaping apparatus and liquid are licenced under "convenience stores" which sell a myriad of products.
"Enforcement officers from the Johor Domestic Trade, Coperatives and Consumerism Department will check on the shops.
"The operators will be fined up to a maximum of RM2,000 for the first offence.
"For the second offence, we will seize all the vape products and possibly revoke the operators' licences," he said.