Singapore Steps Up Enforcement and Crackdown on E-Cigarettes

According to a report by Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao on December 19, the Singapore Ministry of Health has pointed out that despite the ban on the sale and use of e-cigarettes in the country, there are still avenues for the public to purchase them. In response to this situation, the Ministry of Health plans to intensify joint enforcement efforts and raising public awareness to combat the circulation of e-cigarettes.

In a joint statement issued on December 19th last year, the Ministry of Health and the Health Science Bureau announced their findings that the public can still obtain e-cigarettes through chatting applications such as Telegram or while traveling abroad. In an effort to prevent further deterioration of the e-cigarette issue in the country, the Ministry of Health, along with other government agencies, intends to strengthen enforcement measures and awareness campaigns regarding e-cigarettes.

In recent times, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has announced a joint operation with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to carry out enforcement measures at ports, land checkpoints, and airports, starting from Changi Airport. The primary objective of this operation is to crack down on incoming passengers carrying e-cigarettes, with violators being subject to fines. The HSA will also collaborate with the Ministry of Communications and Information and the Infocomm Media Development Authority to enhance the monitoring and prohibition of e-cigarette online sales and advertising.

In addition, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the National Environmental Agency, the National Parks Board, and the Singapore Police Force, has ramped up enforcement efforts regarding the possession and use of e-cigarettes. Since December 1st of last year, enforcement officers from the Environmental Agency have been authorized to take action against individuals found using or possessing e-cigarettes, with some cases being passed on to the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation.

Inspections at public places such as central business districts, shopping centers, parks, smoking areas, bars, and clubs will also be intensified, with violators facing on-the-spot fines. In schools, if students are found using or in possession of e-cigarettes, the school authorities will confiscate the e-cigarette, inform parents, and report the incident to the Department of Health, to ensure strict punishment for such violations.

According to the latest data released by the Health Science Bureau, from 2018 to 2022, a total of 860 individuals have been involved in the sale and smuggling of e-cigarettes and their accessories, with 145 of them being brought to court. Last year, the number of arrests for using and possessing e-cigarettes reached 4,916, nearly triple the figure from 2020. In the period from April to August this year, 18 individuals were sentenced for selling e-cigarettes and their accessories.

According to Minister Wong Yi Kang's response to written queries in Parliament last November, approximately 20% of the individuals arrested for purchasing or possessing e-cigarettes in the first nine months of last year were under the age of 18.

According to tobacco regulations, the import, distribution, or sale of e-cigarettes is considered illegal. First-time offenders can face a maximum fine of SGD 10,000 or six months of imprisonment, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined SGD 20,000, imprisoned for one year, or both. Individuals found in possession of, using, or purchasing e-cigarettes may face a maximum fine of SGD 2,000.