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

The Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association and an activist are demanding legal action against social media platforms for enabling the online sale of drug-laced vapes to minors. Nadzim Johan and Ariz Ramli, also known as Caprice, argue that tech giants, like Meta, must be held responsible for the widespread sale of these illicit vapes, colloquially referred to as "piu-piu".

The activists cite a lawsuit filed by 29 American states against Meta, which resulted in an $18 billion settlement, and claim that social media companies have been waiting for user complaints rather than proactively addressing the issue. They emphasize that combating the drug trade necessitates a collective effort from society, rather than solely relying on government bodies such as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, health ministry, or police.

The activists propose that social media platforms should utilize their AI algorithms to swiftly detect and block illicit drug sales, much like they censor copyrighted material or sensitive speech. The emergence of "piu-piu" has prompted fresh calls for a ban on vapes in Malaysia. In the first quarter of 2026, police recorded 402 cases of drug-laced vapes, with synthetic substances including benzodiazepine, nimetazepam, MDMA, cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol, and methamphetamine detected.