KUALA LUMPUR: The government collected RM209.5 million in excise duty on nicotine-containing liquids and gels used in electronic cigarettes and vapes from April 2023 to August this year, according to the Finance Ministry data.
However, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the amount is lower than the estimated RM223.5 million spent on treating patients suffering from e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) in the last year alone.
“The average treatment cost per EVALI patient is RM150,892.11, with an average hospitalisation period of 12 days,” he said in a written parliamentary reply to Datuk Alias Razak (PN–Kuala Nerus).
Alias had asked for the total excise duty collected on nicotine between April 2023 and September this year, and how it compared to the treatment costs of EVALI patients during the same period.
The excise duty on nicotine-containing vape liquids and gels was first introduced on April 1, 2023, at a rate of 40 sen per millilitre.
Dzulkefly said that since the implementation of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 on Oct 1 last year, six serious lung complication cases linked to EVALI have been reported up to September this year.
“Overall, from 2019 to September this year, the ministry has recorded 46 EVALI cases nationwide. The ministry will continue to monitor the impact of vape use on public health and strengthen control measures through the full enforcement of the act,” he added.
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