Sue social media platforms over sale of drug-laced vapes, say activists

The Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association (PPIM) and activist Ariz Ramli have called for legal action against social media companies for enabling the online sale of drug-laced vapes to minors. They are drawing parallels to a major lawsuit settled for $18 billion against Meta in the United States, where tech giants were held accountable for features that harmed children.

The activists argue that social media platforms have been waiting for user complaints instead of taking proactive measures to combat the issue. They assert that combating the drug trade should be a collective effort involving various stakeholders, not solely relying on government agencies such as the MCMC, health ministry, or police.

The activists propose that social media platforms should use AI algorithms to swiftly detect and block illicit drug sales, similar to how they censor copyrighted material or sensitive speech. In the first four months of 2025, Malaysian police recorded 402 cases of drug-laced vapes, with synthetic drugs like benzodiazepine, nimetazepam, MDMA, cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol, and methamphetamine being detected.