
Singapore working to list etomidate as illegal drug; one-third of vapes seized found to contain it
"Vaping, especially those that are laced with etomidate, is increasing. It is causing quite serious concern amongst agencies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Health (MOH)," he told reporters.
Recently, authorities randomly tested more than 100 vapes that were seized, and one-third were found to contain etomidate. Pods that contain vape juice mixed with etomidate are also known as K-pods.
Mr Ong also noted that there have also been some deaths, including those arising from traffic accidents as well as unnatural ones, where etomidate was implicated.
Vapes, or e-vaporisers, are banned in Singapore. They are controlled and enforced under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sales) Act. Etomidate is a controlled substance under the Poisons Act.
Under these Acts, users of drug-laced pods may be fined, but that will change when etomidate is listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA).
"But under the MDA, they will be treated no differently from those who consume hard drugs and narcotics, such as cannabis or cocaine," said Mr Ong.
This means they will be subject to supervision, have to undergo mandatory rehabilitation and may also be committed to a drug rehabilitation centre.
Repeat offenders will be prosecuted and may be jailed for at least a year.
"We will take a few weeks to put this into effect," said the health minister, calling the listing of etomidate an "interim measure".
While vapes started off mainly as a device to deliver nicotine, Mr Ong noted that it is now a delivery device for a range of substances, from nicotine to psychoactive substances such as etomidate, to hardcore drugs that are illegal.
"When that is the situation, it requires a whole-of-government effort to enforce against this," Mr Ong said.
He added that several other agencies, such as the National Parks Board, National Environment Agency and Land Transport Authority, are already enforcing against vaping, in addition to the police and the Health Sciences Authority.
"When they catch them, the vapes come to MOH and we test them. If it is just nicotine, we will process and fine them.
"If it is something serious, other agencies will have to come in. In the most serious cases involving drugs, the Central Narcotics Bureau will have to come in, so it will have to be a concerted effort," said the minister.
Mr Ong warned that it can be "very damaging" to consume etomidate through vapes, as it can cause permanent organ failure and hallucinations. He urged those who are using K-pods to give them up now.
When asked about the situation in schools, Mr Ong said: "I do not want to assume it is fine. In an earlier exercise, when we tested the vapes we had seized from schools, we did not detect any etomidate.
"But that was a couple of months ago. In the latest, when we randomly tested vapes (seized from the public), one third had etomidate, so I will not assume that etomidate has not made (its) way to schools."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Teenager caught with vapes 5 times sentenced to 2 years at Singapore Boys' Home, Singapore News
A teenager was ordered to stay at the Singapore Boys' Home for 24 months after being caught with vapes on five separate occasions by the Health and Sciences Authority (HSA). His detention at the juvenile rehabilitation centre started on Monday (July 21). On March 19, 2024, the 15-year-old boy was caught possessing two vapes at a McDonald's restaurant in Nex shopping mall , according to charge sheets, reported The Straits Times. He was also caught with vapes on four other occasions from February to October 2024 at Sin Ming Avenue, 201 Serangoon Central and at a HDB void deck at Sumang Walk in Punggol. The boy also faced 15 other charges from the Singapore Police Force when he was hauled to court on July 21, said HSA on Thursday. 2,000 student vape cases in 2024 The Ministry of Health and HSA stated in April 2024 that the Ministry of Education will be notified when students are caught by HSA or other enforcement agencies for vaping offences outside school settings. In addition to the penalty imposed by HSA, schools will take disciplinary action against students caught vaping, such as suspension, or caning for boys. A Health Promotion Board (HPB) study published in June this year indicated that the adoption of e-vaporisers among youth has risen despite Singapore's total ban on them since 2018. There were 2,000 cases of students, including those from institutes of higher learning, reported for possessing or using e-vaporisers in 2024, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in a written parliamentary reply in response to a question by Ms Rachel Ong (West Coast GRC) on Feb 26. This is up from 800 cases in 2022, and 900 cases in 2023. Possessing, using or buying vapes carries a maximum fine of $2,000. Anyone who distributes, imports or sells vapes and their components can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000. Those who need help to quit vaping can join the HPB's I Quit programme by calling the QuitLine on 1800-438-2000. Participants need not worry about being prosecuted, as it does not presume they use or have used vaping products. However, those caught using or possessing such items will be prosecuted. From July 21, HSA has also extended the operating hours for its hotline to report vaping-related offences. It now operates from 9am to 9pm daily, including public holidays. The authority has also launched a new online portal to report vaping-related offences at [[nid:720428]]


CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Eat, Drink, Singapore - Celebrating SG60 at Edge
CNA938 Rewind - Why the need for an Asia-specific allergic rhinitis database Singapore is developing Asia's first allergic rhinitis database. The condition – commonly known as hay fever – is triggered by allergens such as dust, pollen and pet dander. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Dimand speak with Koh Tze Sin, a 26 year-old Singaporean living with Allergic Rhinitis for hear a first hand account. They also speak with Adjunct Associate Professor Ng Chew Lip, Senior Consultant, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (ENT) and the principal investigator of Project ENTenna to find out more about the study.


Asia News Network
4 hours ago
- Asia News Network
Bhutan sees climb in TB, HIV, and malaria cases despite strong systems
July 24, 2025 THIMPHU – The Annual Health Bulletin 2025 of the Ministry of Health (MoH) reveals clear patterns in the country's ongoing battle against infectious diseases, with tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, and malaria continuing to pose significant public health challenges. Despite robust surveillance and health infrastructure, the data indicate a mixed trend, with some diseases showing concerning increase in reported cases, demanding sustained and strategic interventions. Tuberculosis remains a persistent threat, with the number of reported cases increasing steadily over the last three years. In 2023, Bhutan registered 864 TB cases. This rose to 920 cases in 2024, reflecting a continuing burden despite the country's comprehensive TB control strategy. The National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTCP) has been instrumental in leading these efforts, ensuring diagnostic and treatment services are accessible even in remote regions. Yet, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), treatment non-compliance, and disease relapse remain significant challenges. In 2024 alone, there were 38 pulmonary TB relapses and 17 extrapulmonary TB relapses. The majority of TB cases in 2024 (65 percent) were pulmonary, with 552 confirmed through bacteriological testing. A substantial proportion occurred in the economically active age group, mirroring the 2023 data, which showed the highest incidence among the 15–24-year demographic, especially females. In 2023, 98 females and 72 males were diagnosed with new pulmonary bacteriologically confirmed TB, with extrapulmonary TB cases also skewing heavily towards younger females. These patterns underscore a need for age- and gender-specific interventions, improved awareness, and strengthened diagnostic coverage, particularly in youth populations. The rise in total TB cases from 809 in 2022 to 920 in 2024 reflects the ongoing struggle to fully contain transmission and the importance of maintaining high-quality treatment adherence and education efforts. HIV/AIDS trends also show a steady rise in new infections. In 2023, 61 new cases were reported, rising to 85 in 2024, bringing the cumulative number of HIV infections since 1993 to 1,020. Deaths attributed to HIV have also increased from 6 in 2023 to 21 in 2024, highlighting the disease's ongoing impact despite the country's commitment to the 95–95–95 UNAIDS targets. As of December 2024, 774 people are living with HIV in Bhutan, with 98 percent of them receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). The introduction of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in 2024 for high-risk groups in Paro and Thimphu marked a progressive step in preventive care. However, the continuous rise in new infections underscores the need to expand such measures nationwide and further strengthen HIV awareness, testing, and treatment adherence. While Bhutan has made significant strides toward malaria elimination, the 2024 data revealed an unexpected and sharp resurgence in cases, rising to 144 from just 18 in 2023 and 6 in 2022. This more than four-fold increase is attributed primarily to a large outbreak across the border in Assam, India. Bhutan's real-time surveillance and containment systems proved effective in localising the impact, with cases confined to border districts. Of the 144 cases, 71 were imported, and 73 introduced, resulting from transmission following cross-border exposure. However, none were indigenous cases, confirming that internal transmission remains effectively controlled. Plasmodium vivax accounted for approximately 95 percent of all infections. The demographic most affected by malaria in 2024 was the 15–49 age group (65 percent), which represents the most mobile and economically active section of the population. Males were disproportionately impacted (73 percent), largely due to their roles in border-related occupations such as forestry, farming, and security. This occupational exposure highlights the importance of targeted malaria interventions for high-risk groups and the need for stronger cross-border coordination to prevent future outbreaks. The absence of indigenous malaria cases supports Bhutan's continued progress toward WHO malaria elimination certification, but the sudden spike in cases in 2024 demonstrates how vulnerable even well-controlled systems remain to regional epidemiological dynamics. The latest data showing rising trends in TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria underscores the need for more targeted and strategic interventions, despite the progress Bhutan has made in tackling these diseases.