(Kuala Lumpur, 14th) The Community Safety Alliance (IKATAN) has expressed concern over the increasingly common phenomenon of students and youths using e-cigarettes, warning that this trend has become a public health threat and that urgent coordinated action is needed.
The Alliance’s chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, pointed out that while e-cigarettes were once seen as a tool to help adults quit smoking, they have now evolved into a dangerous trend among youths, leading them to become addicted to nicotine at an early age and face severe health risks.
In his statement, he said that the attractive packaging, appealing flavors, aggressive online marketing, and easy purchase of e-cigarette products have all contributed to their rapid popularity among student groups.
"What’s even more worrying is the emergence of illegal e-cigarette products containing dangerous substances, which may cause serious physical and mental health consequences."
Lee Lam Thye emphasized that this issue should not be seen merely as a disciplinary problem but as a broader public health issue. Therefore, society as a whole—including parents, schools, the Ministry of Health, law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and the media—should work together to address this issue effectively.
To tackle the escalating threat, Lee Lam Thye proposed several suggestions, including strengthening law enforcement against the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, as well as conducting regular inspections in schools and educational institutions.
He also urged the authorities to strengthen online sales and advertising controls targeting youths, while enhancing education and awareness campaigns on the harms of e-cigarettes.
In addition, he stressed that parents should be encouraged to pay more attention to their children’s daily activities and peer influences, and that counseling and support services should be provided to students who have become dependent on nicotine.
He believes that educational institutions must strictly maintain a smoke-free campus environment, and that schools should remain e-cigarette-free zones. Students caught using e-cigarettes should not be merely punished, but provided with counseling and rehabilitation programs.
"The country’s future depends on the health and well-being of the younger generation. We must act decisively and immediately to prevent e-cigarettes from becoming a greater public health crisis among our youths."