Press Releases
CONTINUED EFFORTS TO CRACKDOWN ON E-VAPORISERS OFFENCES
16 May 2025
From January 2024 to March 2025, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) continued to intensify enforcement action against vaping. More than 17,900 persons were caught for the possession and use of e-vaporisers during this period. This was the result of stepped up, multi-agency enforcement efforts.
Prosecution of Offenders
2. From January 2024 to March 2025, HSA seized more than $41 million worth of e-vaporisers and components, and conducted 50 successful operations against large-scale e-vaporiser syndicates.
3. During the same period, HSA also prosecuted 60 persons aged 17 to 43 for selling e-vaporisers, including two key persons in an e-vaporiser syndicate case involving over $5 million worth of e-vaporisers. The two persons, Ivan Sin Poh Meng and Toh Wee Leong, were sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment and a fine of $16,000, and 10 months' imprisonment and a fine of $14,000, respectively. These were the highest sentences to date for the smuggling of e-vaporisers. Separately, a key figure of another syndicate linked to a case of more than $6.5 million worth of e-vaporisers was also nabbed in October 2024 and investigations are ongoing.
4. From January 2024 to March 2025, HSA prosecuted 27 offenders, including 20 males and seven females aged 20 to 46 years who had failed to pay their composition fines. Offenders who failed to make timely payment of fines for vaping offences faced harsher consequences. They were penalised with higher fines and/or jail sentences. The details of the offenders’ convictions are in Annex A. More details and the figures by quarter are in Annexes B and C.
Enforcement at Checkpoints
5. Border security is a crucial aspect of the enforcement strategy. HSA worked closely with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to deter and detect attempts at smuggling vaping products through Singapore’s borders. From January 2024 to March 2025, more than 20,800 travellers were checked at air, land and sea checkpoints during joint operations between HSA and ICA. 101 individuals were caught with e-vaporisers during these operations. Additionally, ICA detected e-vaporiser smuggling cases involving 91 smugglers and referred them to HSA.
6. Travellers bringing prohibited tobacco products into Singapore will be fined, and transport companies and drivers involved in importing these products are liable to be prosecuted. Convicted foreigners will be deported and barred from re-entering Singapore.
Enforcement Targeted at Online Content
7. HSA is also collaborating more closely with local e-commerce and social media platforms to take down e-vaporiser online listings. More than 6,800 listings of e-vaporiser and related components online were removed from January 2024 to March 2025. This was more than double the 3,100 listings removed in 2023. 15 persons were also identified and fined for posting photographs or videos of e-vaporisers on their social media accounts in the same period.
Continued Education Efforts
8. MOE schools and the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) continued to step up on preventive education to reinforce anti-vaping messages and the importance of maintaining a nicotine-free lifestyle. Through the curriculum, students are educated about e-vaporisers being illegal, the harmful impact of vaping and tobacco products on individuals, families and our society, common vaping myths, managing negative peer influence, and understanding addictive behaviours. HPB collaborates with primary and secondary schools to educate and encourage students to maintain a nicotine-free lifestyle through skits conducted during assembly periods. Students are equipped with strategies to resist peer pressure and taught coping mechanisms to help them stay nicotine-free. They are also encouraged to seek support from a trusted adult if they have concerns about a classmate’s behaviour.
9. From January 2024 to March 2025, almost 118,500 students from schools and IHLs were engaged through educational skits, peer-led initiatives, and outreach activities aimed at raising awareness about the harms of vaping. About 2,600 students were referred to HSA by schools and IHLs for vaping from January 2024 to March 2025.
10. HPB provides cessation support for students who are caught vaping through QuitLine, a tele-counselling service, and onsite counselling by Student Health Advisors at selected schools. From January 2024 to March 2025, close to 1,800 youths received smoking and vaping cessation counselling. To enhance cessation support, HPB will be embarking on a year-long virtual cessation counselling pilot with MOE for all secondary schools. The pilot is planned to commence in Term 2 from July onwards.
11. Parents can refer to information on Parent Hub to educate and support their children on the harms of vaping, or call HPB’s QuitLine at 1800 438 2000 for a referral to HPB’s smoking and vaping cessation service.
Penalties for E-vaporiser Offences
12. Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, the possession, use or purchase of e-vaporisers carries a maximum fine of $2,000. It is an offence to import, distribute, sell or offer for sale e-vaporisers and their components. Any person convicted of an offence is liable to a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to six months or both for the first offence, and a fine of up to $20,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both for the second or subsequent offence. All prohibited tobacco items will be seized and confiscated. HSA would like to remind those caught vaping to promptly pay their fines (Notice of Composition). Those who fail to do so before the due date of the Notices will face harsher consequences if prosecuted in Court.
13. Members of the public who have information on the illegal possession, use, purchase, import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of e-vaporisers can contact HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684 2036 or 6684 2037 during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm).
14. Information pertaining to prohibited tobacco products in Singapore is available on the HSA website. Persons who need help to quit vaping can join the I Quit programme.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
16 MAY 2025