MOH seize liquid cigarette worth RM1.4 million

Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 -- The Ministry of Health seized 66,988 bottles of electronic cigarette liquid suspected to contain nicotine worth RM1.4 million through an integrated operation nationwide on Tuesday.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the operation was conducted against 78 retail outlets following complaints and information received by MOH on the sale of electronic liquid cigarette containing nicotine to students.

‘’MOH also advise manufacturers, distributors or sellers to stop immediately any manufacturing, distributing or selling of any stock including electronic cigarette liquid containing nicotine,’’ he said in a statement.

He said that this is because any stock containing nicotine was a group C poison which was controlled under the Poisons Act 1952, and with that, any selling and supplying were only allowed to licensed pharmacists and registered medical practitioners for treatment purposes.

All the cases would be investigated under Section 13 of the Poisons Act 1952 and if found guilty was punishable under Section 32(2) of the same act, namely, fine not exceeding RM3,000 or jail not exceeding a year or both, he added.

-- BERNAMA