The Addiction Medicine Association of Malaysia (AMAM) and the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations, Malaysia (FPMPAM) express serious concern over reports that the Poisons Board has endorsed a renewed proposal to exempt liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes and vaping products from the Poisons List under the Poisons Act 1952.
This development comes less than six months after the Kuala Lumpur High Court set aside the previous exemption introduced in 2023, finding that the decision had been irrational and undertaken without meaningful consultation with the Poisons Board.
The government subsequently withdrew its appeal, leaving the High Court judgement undisturbed.
The judgement raised fundamental questions extending beyond procedural consultation. These included the primacy of public health considerations, the relevance of economic considerations in regulatory decision-making, and Malaysia’s international commitments to protecting public health and children from nicotine addiction.
