‘No let-up on war on vaping’, says HSA chief executive; youngest abuser was 10 years old
Summary
Singapore banned vaping in 2018, but enforcement lagged until a 2025 surge of Kpods laced with the anesthetic etomidate caused seizures and deaths. Health Sciences Authority chief Raymond Chua warns that vaping threats are evolving, noting the youngest user was 10 years old, and calls for relentless enforcement. New penalties effective September 1 2025 include caning for suppliers and rehabilitation for abusers, while May 2026 laws allow prosecution of adults who supply vapes to minors. HSA has mobilised over 13,000 officers across 50 agencies, extended a 24‑hour hotline, seized 60,000 vapes, and arrested a Malaysian packer; Chua stresses that the war on vaping will not end until the supply network is dismantled and users rehabilitated.
(Source:The Straits Times)