File Photo: A picture shows boxes of puffs disposable electronic cigarettes displayed on table at Vape store. AFP
In a statement, the Migration and Egyptians Abroad Affairs Department said Singaporean authorities have warned of severe penalties for violators, including heavy fines and possible imprisonment.
The ministry noted that airport and border checks have been tightened to detect these devices, which officials say contain harmful substances that may be treated as narcotics and pose serious health risks.
It stressed that legal responsibility lies entirely on travellers and clarified that airlines bear no responsibility if passengers are found in violation.
In August, Singapore announced that the anaesthetic etomidate — increasingly found in drug-laced vaping products — would be reclassified from a regulated poison to a controlled drug.
The change, which takes effect in September 2025, places the substance under Singapore’s strictest anti-drug laws.
Under the new rules, importers and traffickers of etomidate-laced vapes will face up to 20 years in prison and caning, while users will face fines and mandatory rehabilitation.
Officials said the move is a temporary measure until new legislation is introduced in early 2026.
The policy brings Singapore in line with regional neighbors such as China and Hong Kong, which already classify etomidate-laced products as dangerous drugs, amid similar reports emerging from Indonesia and Thailand.
Singapore has banned the import, sale, possession, and use of e-cigarettes since 2018 and enforces some of the world’s toughest penalties. Importers and sellers face fines of up to S$10,000 and six months in prison, while users can be fined up to S$2,000.
Authorities say the new measures highlight a growing problem in which vapes are being used to deliver narcotics.
Alongside stricter enforcement, Singapore has launched public awareness campaigns to warn of the legal and health dangers of vaping, particularly with drug-laced devices.
Short link: