Singapore Government Rebuts Vape Advocacy Group Criticism, Says It Is Linked to Tobacco Companies

Key Points

• Controversy: Caphra criticized Singapore’s anti-vaping policy as “regressive” and accused the government of “abandoning science.”
• Government response: Minister Shanmugam said such arguments are identical to those made by drug legalization proponents.
• Policy background: Singapore recently tightened vaping regulations following etomidate cases.
• Security stance: The government maintains a tough line on drugs and vaping, emphasizing public safety and youth protection.
• Group profile: Caphra promotes e-cigarettes and heated tobacco under the banner of “harm reduction.”

2Firsts, September 1, 2025 — According to The Straits Times, the Singapore government has rejected criticism from an international advocacy group, saying the group is linked to tobacco companies and is spreading “fearmongering rhetoric.”

The New Zealand-based Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (Caphra) issued a statement on August 18, calling Singapore’s anti-vaping stance “regressive” and accusing the government of “abandoning science” and “spreading fear.” The group argued that the country’s strict measures would drive the vape market underground.

In response, Singapore’s Home Affairs and Law Minister, who also serves as Coordinating Minister for National Security, K. Shanmugam, said on August 30 during a grassroots event: “They say our approach will make things worse by pushing the market underground. But these are the same old, tired arguments — the same ones used all along to push for the legalization of drugs. Such rhetoric usually comes from companies that profit from legalization, or their proxies.”

Shanmugam emphasized that Singapore’s tough stance on drugs has yielded clear results, including reductions in murder rates and serious crime, and saving thousands of young people from drug abuse. He added that Caphra members, under the banner of “tobacco harm reduction,” are in fact promoting e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which run counter to Singapore’s public health and safety goals.