MOH Says Vape Tax Brings In RM209.5 Million, But Patient Treatment Costs More

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The Health Ministry has revealed that the government spends more treating vape-related lung injury (EVALI) cases than it collects from vape excise duties

According to the New Straits Times, in a written parliamentary reply, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the government collected RM209.5 million in excise duty on nicotine-containing liquids and gels used in e-cigarettes and vapes from April 2023 to August 2025, based on data from the Finance Ministry.

The excise duty on nicotine-containing vape liquids and gels was first introduced on 1 April 2023, at a rate of 40 sen per mL.

However, the ministry estimated that RM223.5 million was spent to treat patients suffering from EVALI in 2024 alone.

"The average treatment cost per EVALI patient is RM150,892.11, with an average hospitalisation period of 12 days," Dzulkefly said in a written parliamentary reply to Kuala Nerus MP Datuk Alias Razak.

Alias had asked for the total excise duty collected on nicotine between April 2023 and September 2025, and how it compared to the treatment costs of EVALI patients during the same period.

Dzulkefly added that the ministry will continue to monitor the impact of vape use on public health and strengthen control measures through the full enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852).

This comes as the ministry is also considering a ten-fold increase in taxes on vape liquids, from 40 sen to RM4 per mL, as proposed by Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni in Parliament last month

According to The Borneo Post, Lukanisman said the proposal has been submitted to the Finance Ministry to align vape product taxes with those imposed on conventional tobacco products.

"The proposed rate of RM4 per mL ensures that the tax levied on this equivalent amount is on par with that of a pack of cigarettes," he said in response to a supplementary question from Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan during the Dewan Rakyat's question-and-answer session on 7 October.

Simultaneously, Lukanisman announced that a proposal for a complete ban on vape products is expected to be presented to the Cabinet later this year for policy approval

He noted that the proposed ban would align Malaysia's stance with several ASEAN neighbours, including Brunei, Singapore, and Laos.

"We should move towards a complete ban, as other ASEAN countries have done. Rather than fighting a war on two fronts against both cigarettes and vapes, it is more effective to eliminate or ban one of these harmful products now," he said.