Malaysian public health experts call for a ban on the sale of caffeinated e-cigarettes to prevent health risks to young people

Malaysian public health experts call for a ban on the sale of caffeinated e-cigarettes to prevent health risks to young people

Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, a public health medicine expert at the National University of Malaysia, suggested that laws should be enacted to ban e-cigarettes, especially those containing caffeine, to warn of their potential risks to the health of young people. She pointed out that more than 30 countries around the world have banned flavored e-cigarettes on the grounds that they may attract young people and encourage smoking habits.

 

According to The Sun on June 27, Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, a public health medicine expert at the National University of Malaysia, said that laws should be enacted to ban e-cigarettes, especially those containing caffeine.

 

She suggested that legislation should be enacted to restrict the types and flavors of e-cigarettes, like Denmark, Estonia and Slovenia, where only tobacco and mint flavored e-cigarettes can be sold, or like Australia, where e-cigarettes are only allowed to be sold by prescription, and flavors are limited to tobacco, mint and menthol.

 

Ezat further stated that more than 30 countries around the world currently ban the sale of e-cigarettes as consumer products, which means that flavored e-cigarettes are not allowed to be sold.

 

She noted that flavored e-cigarettes may attract young people to them, which may increase their chances of developing a smoking habit because the smoking experience is pleasant and customizable.

 

Izzat said the law should also make it mandatory to label nicotine concentrations and ingredients, and strictly control the quality of e-cigarettes to prevent the addition of highly harmful additives and mixtures such as delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol or synthetic drugs.

 

She also called for strict regulation and publicity on the use of e-cigarettes to deliver substances such as multivitamins.

 

The US FDA classifies caffeine as a drug and food additive, which is widely used in various beverages with a recommended maximum daily intake of 400mg. However, more and more male and female students in Malaysia have become dependent on caffeinated e-cigarettes, especially coffee-flavored e-cigarettes, which puts them at high risk of health problems.

 

"Caffeine is the most common drug worldwide. It is used as a prescription and over-the-counter drug because it boosts energy, fights fatigue, and enhances the effects of some pain relievers. When inhaled during smoking, it can produce similar effects to other stimulants, but the risk is greater because it may contain other harmful additives, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause heart disease, palpitations, and insomnia."

"Some sellers add vitamin E acetate to make the taste stronger, but VOCs are harmful and may be released from flavored e-liquids, especially coffee-flavored e-liquids."

 

In addition, Izzat said that inhaling caffeine directly into the lungs through e-cigarettes may cause irritation, inflammation and other respiratory problems.

"High doses of caffeine are worrying because it is a strong stimulant that can increase heart rate and blood pressure. In theory, this could lead to serious cardiovascular problems, such as cardiac arrest. Even if such high doses are not obtained from ordinary e-cigarette use, the risk of disease still needs to cause our attention."