To quit vaping, most people either cut down step by step, lowering the nicotine strength and spacing out puffs, or pick a quit date and stop with support. Expect cravings, irritability, poor sleep and low mood for a few days to a couple of weeks. In Malaysia, the Ministry of Health (KKM) runs quit help through JomQuit, quit smoking clinics and an AI quit companion called Cik Era. A separate and more serious problem is vapes laced with drugs. If someone is confused, hallucinating or collapses after vaping, call 999.
Why vaping is hard to stop
The nicotine in vapes is addictive. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says quitting vaping is likely to be similar to quitting smoking, because both involve nicotine addiction.
Young people are a big part of the picture in Malaysia. The 2022 National Health and Morbidity Survey of adolescents, cited by KKM in June 2026, found that 11.1% of 13 to 17 year olds vaped, about one in nine. Among boys it was 18.6%, five times the rate among girls (3.7%).
What nicotine withdrawal feels like
When someone stops, the NHS lists the usual symptoms as:
- strong cravings to vape
- feeling irritable or low
- trouble concentrating
- feeling hungrier than usual
- difficulty sleeping
Smokefree.gov, run by the US National Cancer Institute, adds headaches, anxiety and tiredness, and says the worst symptoms last a few days to a couple of weeks. They fade as long as the person stays off vapes.
How to quit vaping: practical steps
The NHS describes two routes.
Cutting down gradually:
- Check the nicotine strength on the liquid and step it down over time.
- Stretch the gap between sessions, for example from every 20 minutes to every 40.
- Make some places or times vape-free, such as the car, the bedroom or meals, and widen them each week.
Stopping in one go: ask a pharmacist or stop smoking adviser which nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) product would suit you.
Whichever route, a few things help:
- Tell friends and family, and if possible quit with someone else.
- Plan a distraction for when cravings hit, such as a walk or a puzzle.
- Reward each vape-free day or week.
- Combine counselling with medication where you can, as the CDC recommends.
Help to quit vaping in Malaysia
KKM's quit services sit under mQuit, a programme the ministry launched in November 2015 with government and private clinics. In June 2026 KKM listed these options for people who want to stop:
- JomQuit, KKM's free digital quit platform, which links people to trained providers. It had 90 registered private providers and had helped 9,349 clients since October 2024.
- Klinik Berhenti Merokok, the quit smoking clinics in government hospitals and health clinics, offering counselling and medication.
- Cik Era, an AI companion app launched in March 2026 for people trying to quit smoking or vaping, available through mQuit.
You can start at jomquit.my or ask at your nearest government health clinic.
What the law says about vapes
The Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) came into force on 1 October 2024. It covers electronic cigarettes and vape liquids as well as tobacco, and it bans selling them to anyone under 18.
The Health Minister has said he wants to go further. In January 2026 he said the ministry was targeting a ban this year, starting with open pod system vapes, the kind users refill themselves, because they have been misused with synthetic drugs. In June 2026 he said the drug vape evidence gave "a strong basis" for a ban, which was still under consideration. We have not found a confirmed start date as at October 2026.
Vapes laced with drugs
This is a different and more dangerous problem than nicotine dependence.
- From 2024 to March 2025, police opened 96 investigation papers on vapes containing drugs. The Deputy Health Minister said more than 70% were confirmed to contain synthetic cannabinoids and amphetamine.
- By April 2026, police seizure records showed 402 cases. The Health Minister listed the drugs found as benzodiazepines including nimetazepam, MDMA (ecstasy), cannabinoids including THC (the active chemical in cannabis), methamphetamine (syabu), and a new synthetic drug called "Piu Piu".
- On 22 July 2026, seven secondary school students in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, were found intoxicated after using vapes believed to contain drug liquid, and two were rushed to hospital. Police then broke up three syndicates and seized 5,927 vape cartridges, according to Kosmo.
A drug vape looks like any other vape, which is why a parent or the user may not know what is in it. Synthetic cannabinoids are man-made drugs. FRANK, the UK government's drug advice service, says they are often much stronger than natural cannabis and can cause psychotic episodes, seizures, a racing heart and chest pain, and that deaths have been linked to them.
Nicotine habit or drug use?
Ordinary nicotine dependence looks like cravings, irritability and restlessness without the vape. That is a matter for quit support, and the services above are built for it.
Other signs point to something more than nicotine:
- confusion, or a dazed, "zombie-like" state
- hallucinations, extreme paranoia or behaviour that is out of character
- sudden collapse
- fits (seizures) or chest pain
If any of these happen, call 999. Keep the vape and tell the medical team what was used.
If the signs keep coming back, or the person is also using cannabis, syabu or pills, this is a drug problem that needs specialist assessment. Our guides to cannabis addiction and syabu explain those drugs, and drug laws in Malaysia covers the legal side.
Common questions
How do I quit vaping?
Either cut down gradually, lowering nicotine strength and spacing out sessions, or set a quit date and stop with nicotine replacement and support. KKM's JomQuit, quit smoking clinics and the Cik Era app are good places to start.
How long does vape withdrawal last?
The worst of nicotine withdrawal usually lasts a few days to a couple of weeks. The symptoms fade over time as long as the person stays off vapes.
My son is addicted to vaping. What can I do?
Talk calmly about what the vape does for him, and offer to help him find quit support. If he is under 18, a government health clinic is a good first stop. If he seems confused, hallucinating or collapses after vaping, call 999.
How can I tell if a vape has drugs in it?
You usually cannot tell by looking. The warning signs are in the person: confusion, hallucinations, a dazed state or collapse after vaping. Those need urgent medical care.
How Salus can help
Salus runs a private, confidential, voluntary 90-day residential programme for adults aged 18 and over in Cyberjaya, Selangor. Every guest has a medical, psychiatric and psychological assessment on arrival, withdrawal is managed alongside medical care, and a Salus Clinician plans daily life with each person. The cost is RM7,000 per month, all-inclusive: a private room, meals, 24-hour care and medical oversight, individual and group therapy, family sessions and an aftercare plan. See our drug rehabilitation centre page for how the 90 days work.
Families can call first, before the person agrees to anything. Call or WhatsApp Salus for a confidential conversation, and our guide on how to talk to someone about getting help covers the first conversation at home.
This article is general information, not medical advice.
