In late 2021, Kantar undertook a study regarding usage and attitudes towards vaping, tobacco products and cigarettes in Malaysia. In addition, Kantar worked on the survey design, analysis and reporting of results. The study was completed with those people who used e-cigarettes and/or other tobacco products. Questions covered a range of topics including current usage and perceptions of products including attitudes towards quitting smoking and methods used to help giving up.
Survey Approach and Findings
An online approach was used with respondents contacted via Kantar’s consumer panel and screening questions used to ensure participants met agreed definitions for target groups in each country. A total of 500 people were interviewed in Malaysia.
In Malaysia, where recruitment was based on e-cigarettes and oral tobacco usage, four out of ten vapers are also using a heated tobacco product and one in five vapers were also using an oral tobacco product. For those who chose to vape because they like the taste, fruit (61%) and mint (44%) were the most enjoyed flavours.
In general, people agreed that e-cigarettes should be made available to smokers on the basis of being a less harmful product. Respondents agreed with the promotion of e-cigs as a less harmful alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes.
Support for Regulations
Government regulation of e - cigarettes is strongly supported by the respondents. There is also strong support for regulation of quality and sales to minors.
There is strong support for a tax on e-liquid used in vapes, however, the tax (as announced during the Budget 2022) was perceived as too high.