Sarawak Cabinet Approves Gradual Ban on Vape Products to Curb Rising Youth Use

Key Points

• Sarawak Cabinet approves a phased ban on vape products to address increasing youth use.
• Police records show nine cases and 15 arrests since 2023, with 209.55ml of prohibited vape liquids seized.
• State Education Department reported 1,075 students involved in vaping.
• Sarawak recorded the highest adolescent vape rate in Malaysia in 2022, with an estimated 39,608 users aged 13–17.
• The state’s One Stop Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse (OSC) will lead prevention, treatment, and community reintegration initiatives.

2Firsts, November 17, 2025 — According to The Star,the Sarawak Cabinet has agreed to implement a gradual ban on vape products in an effort to tackle rising usage among young people and the wider community.

Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said on Saturday that the decision followed alarming state statistics showing a steep rise in vaping, particularly among adolescents.

“In Sarawak, we cannot ignore the escalating trend of vape use, especially among adolescents,” she said, adding that the phased ban “reflects a firm commitment to protecting the health and future of young people.”

Fatimah revealed that police records since 2023 show nine cases and 15 arrests involving vape liquids containing prohibited substances, with 209.55ml of liquid seized. The Sarawak State Education Department reported 1,075 students involved in vaping, highlighting growing concerns in schools.

According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey, Sarawak recorded the highest adolescent vape rate in Malaysia in 2022, with an estimated 39,608 users aged 13 to 17, up from 23,733 in 2017.

Fatimah noted that Sarawak remains committed to combating drug and substance abuse through the One Stop Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse (OSC), established in 2018 to coordinate interventions across state, district, and community levels.

She said Sarawak’s approach is grounded in the belief that recovery is a continuous process, with treatment and rehabilitation initiatives forming a continuum of care — from prevention to reintegration.

The minister added that ongoing efforts include Mapping Recovery Communities to manage recovery resources online, and the expansion of One Stop Centres for Addiction Services in 25 clinics led by the Sarawak State Health Department.

Capacity building and certification programs are also being developed to train recovery coaches and strengthen NGO and OSC members’ intervention skills. Preventive family programs include the launch of the Sarawak Family United initiative.

“These initiatives reflect a long-term commitment to building resilient, drug-free communities across Sarawak,” Fatimah said.

Image source: The Star