Malaysia police call for total vape ban after ‘Piu Piu’ drug found in e-liquids

Malaysia police call for total vape ban after ‘Piu Piu’ drug found in e-liquids The synthetic drug, a mixture of fentanyl and psychoactive chemicals, could cause severe intoxication and leave users in a “zombie-like” state, Malaysia’s deputy inspector-general of police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s police have called for a complete ban on electronic cigarettes and vaporisers after a new synthetic drug dubbed “Piu Piu” was detected in vape liquids. The synthetic drug, a mixture of fentanyl and psychoactive chemicals (NPS), could cause severe intoxication and leave users in a “zombie-like” state, deputy inspector-general of police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay was quoted as saying on Thursday (Jun 11) by local news outlet Free Malaysia Today (FMT). The drug is termed “Piu Piu” or “piao piao”, which translates to “floating” in Chinese, to describe the light, dizzy and euphoric feel that users purportedly experience. Drug syndicates are increasingly pushing narcotics - particularly "trendy" psychoactive substances - in vape devices, he added. "The main issue today is not whether vaping is a business opportunity for certain groups,” Ayob told reporters. “The real concern is that these devices are being dangerously abused by mixing them with new drugs or new NPS." Ayob said that the police viewed a shift in vape usage to being widely abused by drug trafficking syndicates as a modus operandi to evade detection by the authorities. He added that the police did not have the full authority to directly ban the use of these devices as the matter is under the jurisdiction of other ministries, including the health ministry, according to FMT. The Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID), Ayob added, would continue to monitor and conduct inspections on vape outlets to prevent the spread of the “Piu Piu” drug, pointing to a trend of more rampant usage among youths. "Vaping has become something of a trend and a source of pride among youths. We need to curb this problem before it worsens. Many countries have already banned vape products, and Malaysia should have the political will to do the same," he said. Ayob stressed that the police, especially the Integrity and Standards Compliance Department, would not tolerate officers found colluding with drug syndicates, citing the arrest of a senior police officer, a former NCID chief, who was arrested for drug-related offences. "We conduct regular monitoring … including urine screening of all police officers and personnel,” he added. In December last year, Malaysia’s health ministry had announced a nationwide vape ban by mid-2026, citing growing health concerns as authorities moved to conduct crackdowns on vape devices across various states. “This is not a knee-jerk reaction. The policies and standard operating procedures are already in place and have been ongoing. What we are doing now is moving towards a decisive end point,” Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said on Dec 16. On Feb 16, Fisol Salleh, acting director of the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department, said that authorities had seized nearly RM9 million (US$2.2 million) worth of e-cigarettes, vapes and related products following a six-day nationwide crackdown on youth vaping. Earlier on Jul 28 last year, the health ministry announced a major crackdown against the promotion and sale of smoking and vapes online, in an operation called Ops Selamat Papa, that aimed to protect youth from the dangers of smoking products.