The Registration Of E-cigarette Products in Malaysia Is Under Review. Approved Products Will Be Certified By The Ministry Of Health.

On June 9th, it was reported that the Ministry of Health of Malaysia is currently evaluating registration applications for smoking products, including e-cigarettes, under the Tobacco Control Products Act 2024 (Act 852). The evaluation results are expected to be finalized by October 1st this year. Approved e-cigarette products will receive a registration certificate from the Ministry of Health and can then be sold at authorized outlets such as convenience stores.

Dr. Haidar Nizam, Senior Director of the Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health, stated that the registration window (open from October 2024 to April 2025) has closed, and the Ministry of Health is now in the evaluation stage. No e-cigarette registrations have been approved yet, and the evaluation is still ongoing. By October 1st, any unregistered e-cigarettes will be prohibited from being sold on the market.

According to him, several e-cigarette products have entered the review process and, upon approval, will be sold through authorized channels such as convenience stores or licensed e-cigarette specialty stores.

He warned all retail outlets to ensure that the smoking products they sell are registered with the Ministry of Health: "E-cigarettes must be sold through legitimate channels - they cannot be sold at night markets or similar places. Before issuing a registration certificate, we must review the products. Local authorities such as municipal halls can refuse to issue business licenses to retail outlets that sell unregistered products."

The approval of retail licenses must comply with current spatial regulations: shops must be at least 40 meters away from higher education institutions such as universities, and at least 3 meters away from kindergartens or commercial areas such as 7-11 stores.

He pointed out that all smoking products intended for import, production, or distribution in Malaysia must first obtain registration approval from the Ministry of Health. Unregistered products on the market are legally prohibited from being produced, imported, or distributed.

According to his explanation, all registration applications must be accompanied by laboratory test reports, and the products will be screened for prohibited or suspicious substances. "If they contain suspicious components, such as hallucinogens, we will reject them outright." He also clarified that e-cigarette devices without any substances are not within the jurisdiction of Act 852: "Pure 'devices' without suspicious components are not subject to this act."

Under Act 852, the Ministry of Health is responsible for the licensing of smoking products (including manufacturing, advertising, distribution, and sales approval), while e-cigarette devices fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDN) because they involve SIRM certification.