SINGAPORE – The authorities will be stepping up enforcement and education efforts against vaping to prevent it from gaining a foothold in Singapore.

This comes as users continue to buy e-vaporisers or vapes online, or when they go overseas, despite the ban on these products, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a joint statement on Dec 19.

Those who possess, use or buy e-vaporisers may be fined up to $2,000.

To step up enforcement, HSA and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will conduct operations at air, land and sea checkpoints in the coming months, starting with Changi Airport.

Travellers may be screened for vapes and their components at arrival halls, and those found with these prohibited items will be fined.

Those with these items should pass through the Red Channel so they can declare and dispose of the items to avoid penalties.

MOH and HSA are also working with the Ministry of Communications and Information and the Infocomm Media Development Authority to better detect and remove online points of sale and advertisements of vapes.

They are also working with agencies such as the Ministry of Education (MOE), National Environment Agency (NEA), National Parks Board and the police to step up enforcement against the possession and use of e-vaporisers here.

There will also be more checks at public hot spots, such as the Central Business District, shopping centres, parks and smoking areas, as well as public entertainment outlets like bars and clubs. Offenders will be fined on the spot by enforcement officers.

Since Dec 1, NEA’s enforcement officers can also take action against individuals who use or possess vapes, and cases have been referred to HSA, which is responsible for regulating the sale and use of vaping products.

Schools and institutes of higher learning will also strengthen detection and enforcement efforts against vaping.

Students caught with vapes will have the items confiscated. They will also be reported to HSA and their parents will be informed, and they will be placed on cessation support programmes where counsellors guide them to quit.

The Health Promotion Board will continue to work with MOE in schools and institutions of higher learning to raise awareness of the harms of vaping through educational materials and prevention programmes, as well as provide vaping cessation support.

Vapes typically contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can harm the developing brains of youth.

They also contain cancer-causing chemicals and other toxic substances that increase the risk of heart and lung diseases.

There is evidence that e-vaporisers can be a gateway for non-smokers, particularly youth, to start using cigarettes, HSA and MOH added.

Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about vaping to prevent it from becoming a lifelong habit, the statement said. More information about the harms of vaping is available on Parent Hub at go.gov.sg/parent-hub-vaping

Information about prohibited tobacco products in Singapore is on the HSA website.

First-time offenders who import, distribute, sell or offer for sale e-vaporisers and their components may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders may be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.

Those who have information on the illegal possession, use, purchase, import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of e-vaporisers can call the Tobacco Regulation Branch on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 during office hours.