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Singapore tightens grip on illegal vapes at border
Customs officers at Woodlands Checkpoint, Singapore's busiest land crossing with Malaysia, are waging a relentless battle against smuggled e-cigarettes. On a recent morning, officer Belinda Liaw flagged down a white van and led a team in a meticulous search, tapping the chassis for hidden compartments and combing through the driver's belongings. Their target: vapes, which have been banned in the city-state since 2018.
The rise of K-pods and a zero-tolerance response
In recent years, drug-laced vapes known as K-pods-containing the anesthetic etomidate-have flooded Singapore's black market. Videos of users collapsing in public after inhaling K-pods went viral, prompting a swift government crackdown. Last July, tests on 100 seized vapes revealed a third contained etomidate, shocking a nation proud of its strict drug laws.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong declared vaping a drug issue, warning that e-cigarettes are merely "delivery devices" for increasingly dangerous substances. In September, authorities introduced harsh penalties, including fines up to S$10,000 (£5,765), mandatory rehabilitation, and caning for offenders. Sellers of drug-laced vapes face up to 20 years in prison and 15 strokes of the cane.
Smugglers adapt, enforcement evolves
Most illegal vapes enter Singapore from Malaysia, hidden in shipments of air-conditioning units, light switches, or even bread trays. Liaw recounted one case where officers found thousands of vapes stashed among buns in a delivery van. Smugglers now conceal smaller batches in vehicle crevices, forcing customs teams to intensify inspections.
At Woodlands Checkpoint, officers use X-ray machines to scan lorries, then slash through cargo wrappings with knives and scan pallets with flashlights. "Their methods evolve, so we evolve too," Liaw said. "We have to work harder to stop these vapes from coming in."
Public health campaign and mixed reactions
Singapore's government has launched an aggressive public health campaign, plastering anti-vaping ads across the island and social media. One ad, titled "Final Destination - ICU," warns of severe health risks, while another, "Danger Things," likens vaping to a zombie apocalypse. A hotline for reporting vapers has received over 2,600 tips in nine weeks.
While most Singaporeans support the crackdown, some vapers criticize it as overly harsh. A user identified as Michael argued that banning vapes was "lazy," comparing it to the legal status of cigarettes. "Let people choose for themselves," he said. Another vaper, Toby, acknowledged the need to protect teens but felt the ban unfairly penalized adults using regular vapes, pushing him back to smoking.
"One bad apple spoils the whole batch. Adults who don't take drugs have to suffer,"
Toby, Singaporean vaper
Global debate: Ban or regulate?
Singapore's approach contrasts sharply with countries like the UK, where vaping is promoted as a less harmful alternative to smoking. The NHS states vaping is "one of the most effective tools" for quitting cigarettes, though it warns against non-smokers and youths using e-cigarettes. Clinical psychologist Peter Hajek called Singapore's ban "detrimental to public health," arguing it protects cigarette sales.
The WHO, however, has praised Singapore's campaign as a "turning point" in global tobacco and drug policy. At least 46 countries now ban vapes, while others, including the UK and Australia, are tightening regulations. The WHO estimates 15 million children aged 13-15 vape, with youths nine times more likely to use e-cigarettes than adults.
Yvette van der Eijk, a tobacco policy researcher at the National University of Singapore, defended the ban, warning that failing to act could lead to a "vaping epidemic" akin to the cigarette crisis. "An outright ban has contained the problem," she said, contrasting Singapore with countries where legalization has fueled youth uptake and illicit trade.
Enforcement challenges and cross-border loopholes
Despite the crackdown, vapers say supplies remain accessible, with some traveling to Malaysia or Indonesia's Batam Island to purchase vapes. Toby compared the black market to "a cockroach-you can try to kill it, but you can never fully get rid of it."
Singapore's government insists the ban is necessary to prevent vaping from becoming entrenched like smoking. A health ministry spokesperson argued that allowing a black market to dictate policy would legitimize substance abuse. With new legislation targeting etomidate and other drugs expected soon, the city-state shows no signs of easing its stance.
