The Singaporean government will escalate its fight against vaping by treating it as a drug issue and imposing much stiffer penalties, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in his National Day Rally speech. This toughened stance aims to combat what he described as a “serious concern,” particularly the proliferation of vapes laced with harmful and addictive substances.
While vaping has been banned in Singapore since 2018, with current laws imposing a maximum fine of $2,000 for possession, PM Wong stated that fines are “no longer enough.” The new approach will include jail sentences and more severe punishments for those who sell vapes containing harmful substances. “We will treat this as a drug issue,” he declared.
A key part of this strategy involves listing etomidate, a substance often found in illicit vapes (sometimes called “Kpods”), as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. This will allow authorities to treat abusers and traffickers of etomidate-laced vapes similarly to other drug offenders, with mandatory rehabilitation and potential jail time. Currently, etomidate is only listed under the Poisons Act, which carries lesser penalties.
In addition to harsher penalties, the government will step up nationwide enforcement, mount a major public education drive starting in schools and during national service, and provide supervision and rehabilitation for those addicted to vapes to help them quit. PM Wong confirmed that this will be a “robust whole-of-government exercise” led by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health. Authorities have assured that individuals who voluntarily seek support to quit vaping will not face penalties for doing so.
- News source: NDR 2025: Vaping will be treated as a drug issue; much stiffer penalties to be imposed, says PM Wong
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