Prime Minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong, has announced that the country will start treating the use of electronic cigarettes (vapes) as “drug use” and will enforce tougher action with heavier penalties.
Wong, who is also the country’s Finance Minister, said vapes have become a serious concern, adding that every generation worries about the negative impact they can have on young people, according to BERNAMA.
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“Hefty fines are no longer sufficient”
Wong explained that most vapes aren’t just regular e-cigarettes, but are mixed with addictive and harmful substances like etomidate, and the problem could get worse moving forward.
To address this, he said the Singaporean Government will introduce monitoring and rehabilitation programmes to help those already addicted quit.
He also stressed that hefty fines are no longer enough, and that the rules will now include jail terms.
“Up until now, we’ve treated e-cigarettes like tobacco, with fines being the harshest penalty. But that’s no longer sufficient. We’ll now treat it as a drug issue and impose much tougher penalties, including jail time and stricter punishment for those who sell e-cigarettes with harmful substances,” he said.
Wong also said the government will ramp up enforcement across the country and roll out a big public awareness campaign, starting in schools, universities, and even during national service.
The country’s Home Affairs and Health Ministries will lead the push, but it’ll be a full government effort.
Singapore has banned vaping since 2018, with current laws prescribing the possession, use or purchase of vapes as offences carrying a maximum fine of SGD2,000.
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