DATA ON STUDENTS CAUGHT USING OR POSSESSING VAPES AND RATE OF REOFFENDING

NOTICE PAPER NO. 3491

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 26 FEBRUARY 2025

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Miss Rachel Ong

MP for West Coast GRC

Question No. 7300

To ask the Minister for Health (a) for each year from 2022 to 2024, what is the total number of students studying in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning who are caught for using or possessing vapes; (b) whether the Ministry now has data on the percentage of students who reoffended after being fined for first-time vaping violations in this time period; and (c) if so, based on this data, whether the Government will be reviewing the penalties for the illegal use of vapes for first-time offenders and reoffenders.

Answer

Over the past three years, arising from the ramp up of our enforcement efforts by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) together with the Ministry of Education, the number of students from schools and Institutes of Higher Learning reported to HSA for possessing or using e-vaporisers rose from about 800 cases in 2022 to 900 cases in 2023 and 2,000 cases in 2024. Among the cases in 2024, 13% re-offended in the same year.

2 HSA and the Ministry of Health are reviewing the penalties for possession or use of e-vaporisers. Concurrently, the Health Promotion Board will ramp up its initiatives to educate and counsel youths and students on the benefits of a nicotine-free lifestyle, as well as vaping cessation programmes.