Big jump in e-vaporiser cases to more than 7,500 last year

The number of electronic vaporiser cases handled by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has gone up significantly, from 1,565 cases in 2017 to 7,593 last year, said its spokesman yesterday.

The number of cases last year also represented an increase of more than 200 per cent since 2019, when there were 2,477 cases.

Last year, 4,697 people were caught for using and possessing e-vaporisers, up from 1,266 in 2020. A total of 1,212 people were caught this year as at March.

Nearly 12,300 e-vaporisers, about 4,500 e-liquids and about 175,000 pods and other e-vaporiser components, with an estimated street value of more than $1.85 million, were destroyed last year.

Yesterday, The Straits Times viewed the incineration of seized e-vaporisers and components at Tuas South Incineration Plant.

About 6,500 e-vaporisers, 83,500 pods and 8,000 e-liquids - seized items from closed cases since the middle of last year - were destroyed. The items weighed about 1,620kg and had an estimated street value of $1.55 million.

The spokesman said e-vaporisers and their components are seized for investigations and destroyed once the cases are concluded.

At the incineration plant, the items are dropped at a refuse bunker. A waste crane then picks them up and feeds them into a hopper that leads to the furnace.

The use and sale of e-vaporisers were banned in Singapore on Feb 1, 2018. Those caught purchasing, using or having in their possession such products are liable for a fine of up to $2,000.

HSA works closely with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to detect prohibited products at checkpoints and takes enforcement action against those who buy or sell them online.

Singapore has "a multi-pronged approach to curb the import and sale of e-vaporisers and related components... including public education, counselling and enforcement", the spokesman said.

HSA said it has stepped up its vigilance and enforcement actions, with a total of 383 e-vaporiser peddlers caught from 2017 to last year.

The spokesman said: "We monitor online retail sites for the suspected peddling of such prohibited products and their refill liquids and cartridges."

He said the agency works with e-commerce sites to shut down the listings. More than 6,800 such posts were removed last year.

In February, HSA seized e-vaporisers and components worth about $700,000 from a residential unit in Upper Bukit Timah. Three men in their 30s are assisting with investigations.

Student health adviser Jolyn Koh, 30, who counsels secondary school and Institute of Technical Education students with smoking and vaping addictions, said there is a dangerous misconception that e-vaporisers are a healthier alternative to cigarettes.

Vaping and smoking can be equally damaging as both use nicotine, she said. "Vaping could become more popular in the future as more youngsters manage to get hold of (products) online."

Dr Koong Heng Nung, director and founder of non-profit organisation Tobacco Free Generation International, said it is tough to clamp down on users brazenly vaping despite the ban.

"Instead, we need to educate our youth that the root cause of this issue is the tobacco industry itself. The industry has marketed its products to be safe, and that is a false narrative," he said.