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Between Sept 1 and 21, 656 people have been caught for vape-related offences.
SINGAPORE – Thirty-nine people caught for using etomidate e-vaporisers since Sept 1 have started or are beginning their rehabilitation, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Sept 27.
Their rehabilitation is at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) or social service agencies (SSAs).
Providing an update on the number of individuals caught since stricter penalties for vaping kicked in on Sept 1, the agencies said that between Sept 1 and Sept 21, 656 people were caught for vape-related offences. Of this number, 44 were in possession of vapes laced with etomidate.
Three etomidate abusers have started rehabilitation with IMH or the SSAs under the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Youth Enhanced Supervision Scheme.
Another 36 are expected to start their rehabilitation this week. The remaining five are pending investigation.
More cases of illegal vape activities uncovered
MOH and HSA said that over the past three weeks, there was one case of suspected trafficking of etomidate vapes and 27 cases of smuggling of regular vapes.
The 27 cases were detected at the airport, checkpoints or cruise centres. Overall, more than 25,000 vapes and related components were seized in the past three weeks.
Under the enhanced clampdown on vapes , those found possessing, using or buying vapes face higher penalties than before.
First-time offenders aged 18 and above will be fined $700, up from $500, and second-time offenders must undergo rehabilitation, and a failure to do so would result in prosecution.
Those caught using vapes for the third time or more may be fined up to $2,000.
In addition, Kpod abusers are required to attend rehabilitation in lieu of prosecution.
To help them quit, they will be issued notices to attend rehabilitation for up to six months. Those who fail to report for interviews and rehabilitation will be liable for prosecution.
Focusing on education, counselling and support to help abusers overcome their addiction, the rehabilitation programme comprises individual sessions, as well as group and family sessions to facilitate the sharing of experiences.
Role of public crucial
The agencies said that the public plays a crucial role in the fight against vaping.
Since Sept 1, there have been 1,050 cases of vaping activities reported through HSA’s online reporting form and hotlines. Of these, 34 were related to suspected use of etomidate e-vaporisers.
Based on these public reports, the HSA was able to conduct targeted enforcement actions that resulted in six people being caught with suspected etomidate vapes.
“Public reports are particularly useful when they contained actionable information, such as where, when and how often the illegal use of e-vaporisers took place. This would allow HSA to prioritise and take appropriate enforcement actions,” the agencies said.
The public reports also included information such as online listings, social media posts and messaging platforms with illegal advertisements and posts.
HSA has removed more than 170 online vape-related listings in the last three weeks.
Support to quit vaping
With the Government continuing to provide support for those who want to quit vaping, 19 people in the past three weeks have enrolled for voluntary rehabilitation to quit using Kpods through IMH and the four participating SSAs through the QuitVape programme.
Eighty-nine people have also signed up for the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) I Quit programme.
Those who want to quit vaping can sign up for the QuitVape programme (gov.sg/quitvape) or call HPB’s QuitLine on 1800-438-2000.
The agencies assured that those who voluntarily seek help will not be penalised for coming forward. But if one is caught vaping, penalties will be meted out together with an offence record.
E-vaporisers can also be voluntarily and safely disposed of at designated disposal bins in selected locations, including border checkpoints and where QuitVape programmes and rehabilitation are conducted – HPB, IMH and participating SSAs.
Those who have information on illegal vape activities can submit reports online at www.go.gov.sg/reportvape
The public can also report vaping offences to the Tobacco Regulation Branch on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, including public holidays.
[SRC] https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/39-people-caught-for-kpod-abuse-start-or-set-to-begin-rehab-as-stricter-measures-take-effect
