*Platinum Member*
Centennial Member
Posts: 111222
Liked By: 63639
Joined: 30 Jun 10
Followers:
3
Tipsters
Championship:
Player
has
not started
|
Etomidate-laced vape abusers may face mandatory supervision & rehab regimes, sellers can expect harsher penalties: MHA
Etomidate-laced vapes, also known as kpods or "zombie vapes", have become a growing concern in Singapore.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is looking into possible new legislation to deal with etomidate and other similar substances, said Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Jul. 30.
Etomidate-laced vapes, also known as kpods or "zombie vapes", have become a growing concern in Singapore following several recent cases of unnatural behaviour and deaths.
Just a week prior, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung noted that the Ministry of Health (MOH) will be working with MHA to list etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA).
The drug was found in the blood of two people involved in the fatal Punggol car crash on May 13, and is suspected to have been used by four teenagers seen acting strangely at Punggol Town Hall on Jun. 24.
Allow for tougher enforcement measures
Speaking at the sidelines at the launch of edutainment web series “What Would You Do When Terror Strikes”, Shanmugam explained that listing etomidate under the MDA will allow for tougher enforcement measures.
"Abusers will no longer just be subject to (a) fine. They can be subject to mandatory supervision and rehabilitation regimes.
Those who import, sell, distribute etomidate-laced vapes can expect much stiffer penalties than today."
So long as Singaporeans support the government's policies and the government believes this is the right thing to do, Singapore will continue to take a tough line towards drug law enforcement, Shanmugam said.
Demonstrates need for tough laws on hard drugs
Shanmugam also made the point that as etomidate-laced vapes have caused a lot of damage in a relatively short span of time, the government should continue its tough anti-drug stance on harder drugs, despite other views.
"You know, ambassadors, ministers from other countries, activist groups, others financed by pharmaceutical companies, which tend to make money by monetising the misery of drug addicts -
They all come to Singapore, or they see me elsewhere, they tell me our laws are harsh, we should allow cannabis to be sold freely, we should legalise drugs, we shouldn’t be having the death penalty, and our approach is wrong.
First question, you look at their streets and you look at our streets - where would you rather live?
Second, you look at the number of deaths they have from drugs, and the abusers and the crime, and you look at our situation.
Do we put this ideology first, or do we put the facts first? Whose streets are safer?"
Working with schools and parents
The minister noted that as vape abuse is more prevalent among youths, the government is working closely with schools and parents to strengthen enforcement and raise awareness.
For Class C drugs, offenders involved in trafficking may face a minimum of two years' imprisonment & two strokes of the cane.
Offenders who consume controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act may face a jail term of not less than one year but not more than 10 years and also a fine not exceeding S$20,000. Repeated offenders will be meted out more severe punishments.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) received more than 3,000 vape-related reports in 2024 and more than 2,500 similar reports in the first half of 2025.
Related article
Top image via Javier Lim/Mothership and MOH and HSA
|
Main Menu >
Gossip Corner >
Vapers driving on the road manhunt?
1
) 
Find all Topics Started by LONGSTER
Find all Posts by LONGSTER
Follow / Unfollow
PM LONGSTER
30-Jul 2025 Wednesday
12:11 PM (1 day ago)
1 Likes
Like
