While Penang seeks to regulate or limit vaping in designated areas as part of its Smoke Free Campaign, state executive councillor on health Dr Afif Bahardin urged those who use e- cigarettes to be more “ethical”.

Afif claimed there are video clips of children vaping going viral and described such acts as “ridiculous and uncalled for”.

“You can argue that e-cigarettes have less toxic content or smoke, but this is only beneficial to those who are already smoking,” Afif told Malaysiakini .

“It is not beneficial when you introduce it to children because they … have none of the (toxic) substances in their bodies which will be detrimental to their health,” he added.

“Which is why vaping must follow some guidelines, and I totally agree that it must be regulated and limited,” he stressed.

Afif was asked to respond to state health department director Dr Zailan Adnan’s remark in The Star that "smokers who light up in the 259ha George Town Unesco World Heritage Site from Jan 1 next year could be fined up to RM10,000 or jailed up to two years".

His remarks come after the Health Ministry insisted that the use of electronic cigarette containing nicotine should be banned as the habit can affect public health in the long-term.

However, Afif said the BN-led federal government and the Health Ministry have been slow to respond to the issue as vaping has been around for over four years.

He said currently there are no laws or regulations within the country on the use and sale of e-cigarettes and the federal government and Health Ministry's plan to ban vaping is "nothing but a knee-jerk reaction".

According to Afif, Penang had earlier sought help from the ministry to address the problem but the latter has failed to respond or conduct a thorough study on the issue.

“We wanted to know which category vaping falls under - tobacco or poison? It cannot be tobacco because it is not a tobacco product,” said the Seberang Jaya assemblyman.

“Do we categorise it as poison? People are using e-cigarettes for vaping as an alternative to smoking,” he added.

“We do not know the impact of vaping yet. We may know it only three to 10 years down the road. Like cancer, we would only see the effects much later,” he warned.

Afif said the state government is indeed looking at classifying vaping as equal to smoking and apply the same regulations and restrictions.

As for now, vapers are advised not to vape in the 22 categories of premises and locations in Penang, such as the heritage zone, which are gazetted as non-smoking zones.

Afif also condemned Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob who said limiting licensed pharmacists and registered medical practitioners to sell vapouriser products with nicotine will “ kill the vape business which is owned mostly by young Malays”.

“Politicians are trying to score some points to say that banning of vaping affects bumiputera companies.

“Come on… bumiputeras have many other qualities to be proud, we do not need to defend this one,” said the PKR national youth deputy chief.

“I have nothing against the vaping industry, I do appreciate their innovation to come up with an alternative (to smoking), but don’t play the racial card,” he said.