KUCHING: The International Education Legacy Foundation (IELF) has voiced strong support for the Sarawak government’s recent decision to ban e-cigarettes, describing it as a bold and necessary step to safeguard the younger generation.
The founding president of IELF, Dr Wynson Ong Teck Ping, said that he strongly commends and fully supports this decision.
“Vaping offers absolutely no benefit to the human body and it encourages harmful habits.
“As e-cigarettes are small and easy to conceal, they are easily brought into schools, undermining the safe and healthy environment that education should provide,” he said in a statement.
He warned that many students experiment with e-cigarettes out of curiosity and the appeal of “new technology” but what begins as curiosity can quickly develop into dependence.
“With the alarming rise of drug-laced vapes in today’s market, the risks are more severe than ever.
“We cannot allow our children, out of mere curiosity, to fall into the trap of addiction and even substance abuse,” he stressed.
Dr Wynson emphasised that young people are the hope of the future and deserve to grow up in a clean, healthy and inspiring environment.
“Education and prevention are always better than cure. By empowering young people with knowledge and protecting them through legislation, we are taking vital steps towards building a safer and brighter future for all,” he added.
He reaffirmed that IELF remains committed to working hand in hand with communities, policymakers and partners to uphold its mission of ‘Protecting the Next Generation’.
“Together, let us create a society where children can breathe freely and thrive in a world free from e-cigarettes,” he concluded.
