THE Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) is calling for a clear timeline for the Dewan Rakyat’s Special Select Committee on Health’s (SSCH) to review the Control of Smoking Product for Public Health Bill 2023 to ensure that the process can be done thoroughly and holistically.

The Malaysian CCC chapter representative Tarmizi Anuwar said the authorities need to announce a clear timeline to give room for the SSCH to conduct a detailed and holistic study in preparing a feedback report to the Control of Smoking Product for Public Health Bill 2023.

“It is important to ensure that this committee has adequate time to prepare its report,” he pointed out in media statement.

In the meantime, Tarmizi urged the government to prioritise regulating the vape industry that has long operated in the grey area.

“Regulating the vape industry must be the government’s utmost priority. In the interim, while the SSCH reviews the said Bill, the government can look into expanding existing legislations to include vape,” he suggested.

“This is even more vital now that nicotine has been exempted from the Poisons Act. In the long-run, efforts must be made to distinguish vape from tobacco. These are two very different products and work in completely different manners.”

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