KUCHING: The Sarawak Government is taking steps to curb vape use among students following growing concerns about its rise in schools, particularly after recent data was highlighted in Parliament.
Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, said the matter was raised during a recent One-Stop Committee (OSC) meeting, where it was agreed that more aggressive action is needed to address the trend.
“We are concerned as our students are the future of our country and state.
“The vape issue was also identified in our meeting and we have prepared a paper for the State Cabinet to chart the way forward.
“The paper will go through the standard procedure involving the State Financial Secretary (SFS), State Attorney-General (SAG), and State Secretary (SS) before it is presented to the Cabinet to get a way forward,” she said when met by reporters after receiving a courtesy visit from Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department’s (NCID) entourage today.
Fatimah said the government is approaching the issue holistically by addressing both supply and demand, while also strengthening recovery and advocacy initiatives.
“This is not something we can solve in isolation. That is why our OSC brings together agencies from multiple sectors to make collective decisions and act swiftly when weaknesses are identified,” she said.
The state’s concern echoes national trends, with vaping among youth increasingly drawing attention from health and education authorities.
