https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/m...0-offenders-fined-2000-listings-removed-90000
singapore
A HSA officer interviewing a suspect found in possession of e-vaporisers, including those laced with etomidate, during an enforcement check at a public entertainment outlet in August.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Jasper Lim
PUBLISHED ON August 27, 2025 7:55 AM BY Sean Ler
The message from the authorities has grown louder: Stop vaping now.
Recently, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), along with the police and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), have carried out intensified enforcement operations to step up whole-of-government efforts against vaping.
On Aug 16, AsiaOne observed HSA officers joining police during their enforcement checks at two public entertainment outlets in the City Hall area. 14 e-vaporisers, including four suspected of containing etomidate were seized.
Barely a week later, ICA invited the media to observe enhanced checks at Tuas Checkpoint and Changi Airport Terminal 1.
While no smuggling attempts were detected, ICA intercepted over 850 vape products, 53,000 cartons and 3,900 packets of duty unpaid cigarettes and more than 2,400 packets of chewing tobacco over the five days of enhanced checks between Aug 18 and 22.
In between these checks, HSA also conducted a two-day anti-vaping operations in Raffles Place and Haji Lane which saw 18 persons between the ages of 24 and 48 nabbed for vape-related offences.
On Tuesday (Aug 26), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and HSA said in a joint media release that more that 3,700 persons were caught possessing or using vapes in the second-quarter of 2025 — from April 1 to June 30.
This is an increase of almost 20 per cent compared to the previous quarter (January to March), when more than 3,100 people were caught.
HSA also said that as of Aug 12, 29 cases related to etomidate e-vaporiser have been detected in 2025 — with nine cases related to import or sale.
Of these, one case involved a 41-year-old man who was charged for manufacturing e-vaporiser pods containing etomidate in his Yishun home with the intent to sell them.
He was sentenced to 16 months' jail and $400 fine on Aug 26.
The posts have since been removed by the offenders.
In one of the cases, HSA raided the homes of two 18-year-old boys on June 4, acting on a tip-off of a social media post where they were seen vaping in a bicycle shop in Kallang.
HSA also visited the bicycle shop on the same day and caught another two men for vaping.
All four have been fined.
Screenshots of social media posts by offenders who were fined for posting videos and photographs with e-vaporisers between April and June 2025. IMAGES: Health Sciences Authority
HSA said it has also worked with e-commerce and social media platforms to remove more than 2,000 listings of e-vaporisers and related components in the same period — a fivefold increase from the 408 listings removed in the first quarter of this year.
ICA's intensified targeting and profiling efforts at Singapore's borders have also led to the detection of 19 large-scale smuggling cases and the seizure of around 90,000 e-vaporisers and related products.
This means that offenders will be subject to stiffer penalties enabled by the Act.
Those found selling vapes with harmful sentencing will also likely face jail sentences and more severe punishments.
At least two judges have signalled sterner penalties for vaping offences, citing public concerns.
On Aug 21, The Straits Times reported District Judge Wong Li Tien as saying that "cases involving vaping have caught a lot of attention", adding that "it is no longer feasible to rely on dated precedence".
"We need to start relooking at the sentencing submissions for these cases as they are currently not in line with public sentiment," said Judge Wong, noting that current convictions effectively result in a low imprisonment term or fine.
Judge Wong has reportedly adjourned two guilty plea mentions on Aug 22, directing HSA to relook sentencing submissions for vape offences "as a whole".
This was echoed by District Judge Wong Peck on Monday (Aug 25), who similarly adjourned a guilty plea sentencing because of the ongoing review of the overall position, and to ensure parity in sentencing, reported CNA.
singapore
MOH, HSA intensify anti-vaping efforts: 3,700 offenders fined, 2,000 listings removed, 90,000 smuggled vapes seized in Q2
Among the offenders were two 18-year-old boys seen vaping in a video posted on social media
A HSA officer interviewing a suspect found in possession of e-vaporisers, including those laced with etomidate, during an enforcement check at a public entertainment outlet in August.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Jasper Lim
PUBLISHED ON August 27, 2025 7:55 AM BY Sean Ler
The message from the authorities has grown louder: Stop vaping now.
Recently, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), along with the police and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), have carried out intensified enforcement operations to step up whole-of-government efforts against vaping.
On Aug 16, AsiaOne observed HSA officers joining police during their enforcement checks at two public entertainment outlets in the City Hall area. 14 e-vaporisers, including four suspected of containing etomidate were seized.
Barely a week later, ICA invited the media to observe enhanced checks at Tuas Checkpoint and Changi Airport Terminal 1.
While no smuggling attempts were detected, ICA intercepted over 850 vape products, 53,000 cartons and 3,900 packets of duty unpaid cigarettes and more than 2,400 packets of chewing tobacco over the five days of enhanced checks between Aug 18 and 22.
In between these checks, HSA also conducted a two-day anti-vaping operations in Raffles Place and Haji Lane which saw 18 persons between the ages of 24 and 48 nabbed for vape-related offences.
On Tuesday (Aug 26), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and HSA said in a joint media release that more that 3,700 persons were caught possessing or using vapes in the second-quarter of 2025 — from April 1 to June 30.
This is an increase of almost 20 per cent compared to the previous quarter (January to March), when more than 3,100 people were caught.
HSA also said that as of Aug 12, 29 cases related to etomidate e-vaporiser have been detected in 2025 — with nine cases related to import or sale.
Of these, one case involved a 41-year-old man who was charged for manufacturing e-vaporiser pods containing etomidate in his Yishun home with the intent to sell them.
He was sentenced to 16 months' jail and $400 fine on Aug 26.
Enforcement targeting online content and smuggling at checkpoints
Between April and June, HSA also identified and issued fines to eight persons who posted photos or videos of themselves with e-vaporisers in their social media posts.The posts have since been removed by the offenders.
In one of the cases, HSA raided the homes of two 18-year-old boys on June 4, acting on a tip-off of a social media post where they were seen vaping in a bicycle shop in Kallang.
HSA also visited the bicycle shop on the same day and caught another two men for vaping.
All four have been fined.
HSA said it has also worked with e-commerce and social media platforms to remove more than 2,000 listings of e-vaporisers and related components in the same period — a fivefold increase from the 408 listings removed in the first quarter of this year.
ICA's intensified targeting and profiling efforts at Singapore's borders have also led to the detection of 19 large-scale smuggling cases and the seizure of around 90,000 e-vaporisers and related products.
Tougher penalties for e-vaporiser-related offences
MOH is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to list etomidate as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act from Sept 1.This means that offenders will be subject to stiffer penalties enabled by the Act.
Those found selling vapes with harmful sentencing will also likely face jail sentences and more severe punishments.
At least two judges have signalled sterner penalties for vaping offences, citing public concerns.
On Aug 21, The Straits Times reported District Judge Wong Li Tien as saying that "cases involving vaping have caught a lot of attention", adding that "it is no longer feasible to rely on dated precedence".
"We need to start relooking at the sentencing submissions for these cases as they are currently not in line with public sentiment," said Judge Wong, noting that current convictions effectively result in a low imprisonment term or fine.
Judge Wong has reportedly adjourned two guilty plea mentions on Aug 22, directing HSA to relook sentencing submissions for vape offences "as a whole".
This was echoed by District Judge Wong Peck on Monday (Aug 25), who similarly adjourned a guilty plea sentencing because of the ongoing review of the overall position, and to ensure parity in sentencing, reported CNA.
