Singapore to Treat Vaping as Drug Offense with Jail Time

Singapore Vape Ban

Singapore’s government plans to significantly escalate penalties for vaping, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announcing that the practice will be treated more like a drug offense than a tobacco issue. Speaking at the National Day Rally on August 17, Wong described vaping as a serious and emerging public health threat that requires much stiffer penalties to combat.

Despite an existing ban, Wong noted that people are still smuggling vapes into the country. The stricter penalties could include jail sentences and severe punishments, particularly for those involved in selling vapes mixed with harmful substances. This move is driven by alarming findings from health officials, who report that about a third of vapes seized in the country are laced with etomidate, an anesthetic that can cause hallucinations and organ damage when misused.

Singapore is now working to classify etomidate as an illegal substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act. This would mean users of etomidate-laced vapes could face punishments as severe as those for consumers of hard drugs like cocaine. While cracking down on offenders, Wong also stated that Singapore is prepared to provide rehabilitation services for those addicted to vaping. This policy shift positions Singapore alongside other countries with very tough anti-vaping stances, such as India, Brazil, and Thailand.

Matthew Ma
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