Singapore is set to impose much more severe penalties for vape-related offenses, including potential prison sentences for serious violations, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Sunday (Aug 18, 2025). The government plans to treat the issue with the same gravity as drug offenses.
"So far we have treated vaping like tobacco — at most we only give a fine, but that is no longer enough. We will treat this as a drug problem and impose much harsher penalties," Wong stated. While vaping is already illegal in Singapore, the move comes after health authorities discovered that one-third of seized illegal vapes contained etomidate, a hazardous anesthetic that can cause hallucinations and organ damage when abused.
The government is now working to classify etomidate as an illegal drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Under the new rules, users of vapes containing etomidate will face penalties as harsh as those for heavy drug users, including mandatory rehabilitation and a minimum one-year prison sentence for repeat offenders. The government also plans to provide rehabilitation programs for vape addicts.
