KINIBIZ Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor has ordered an outright ban on the sale of the popular electronic cigarettes known as ‘vapes’ in the state by the beginning of next year.

The outspoken royal may have his heart in the right place, citing the potential health hazards of vapes as the main reason for the ban. But is the Johor Sultan again overstepping the boundaries of the monarchy and legislature?

The royal decree has come out of the blue. However, supporters of the ban say that the sultan’s intervention is timely.

“I want the outlets to close down by Jan 1, 2016 and I do not want to hear any excuse. This is a question of health and its effects on young people. It has nothing to do with businesses and for sure it has nothing to do with race,” the Sultan said in an interview with The Star last week.

The Johor sultan has reportedly ordered the state exco to convene soon to ensure that the ban is implemented.

The controversy over vapes has been threatening to boil over in the last few months. Its proponents argue that the electronic cigarettes is a cost effective way of gradually weaning smokers off their tobacco addiction.

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This article was written by Khairul Khalid.