Latest news with #Kpods'
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Forum: Safeguarding society from drug scourge a collective responsibility
The National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) applauds the move to classify etomidate as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) as an interim measure, pending the Ministry of Health's development of more appropriate legislation. This is needed for the Government to be able to act quickly and more decisively to protect our people, especially our youth, who are most vulnerable. The recent rise in the abuse of drug-laced vapes and products such as 'Kpods' is troubling. These products may appear harmless but contain harmful substances such as synthetic cannabinoids, cocaine, and pharmaceutical drugs like etomidate, which are not intended for recreational use. These substances can endanger health, including causing muscle spasms, changes to breathing patterns and blood pressure, seizures and psychosis, as well as addiction and even physical dependence. We are most concerned that these products are often deliberately designed to appeal to youth. They are attractively packaged, infused with fruity flavours, and marketed through social media and peer networks. Let us be clear: There is no such thing as a 'safe high' when it comes to these substances. Etomidate may have legitimate medical uses under strict supervision, but outside of that context, its misuse poses serious risks. In addition to this interim legislative step, more needs to be done. We need to increase public awareness and ramp up preventive education. The council also recognises the importance of continued collaboration among all stakeholders, including enforcement agencies, educators, parents and youth themselves. Safeguarding our society from the scourge of drugs is a collective responsibility. NCADA will fully support the Government's public education efforts in this area. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Singapore urges all parties in Thailand-Cambodia border dispute to exercise restraint Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Life Hulk Hogan, who helped turn pro wrestling into a billion-dollar spectacle, dies at 71 Singapore Avoid water activities around Tuas Second Link, Raffles Marina after chemical tank accident: NEA Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B We call on parents, educators, community leaders and our youth to engage in conversations, and to stay informed, about the changing nature of drug abuse. Prevention is not only about policies and laws. It is also about building a strong social shield through awareness, education and care. Together, let us remain steadfast in our commitment to a drug-free Singapore. Dr Jimmy Lee Exco Member, National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA)
AsiaOne
7 days ago
- AsiaOne
Daily roundup: 2 men taken to court over arranging bail for accused thief, who later absconded — and other top stories today, World News
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today. 1. 2 men taken to court over arranging bail for accused thief, who later absconded Two men were charged in court on Tuesday (July 22) for helping to post bail for a suspected member of a housebreaking syndicate who stole over $570,000 worth of jewellery from a home on Windsor Park Road in June 2024... » READ MORE 2. $30 one-off cash handout, petrol price cut: Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim announces measures to tackle living costs Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday (July 23) unveiled a raft of initiatives, which he said are a "token of appreciation" for Malaysians amid their concerns with high cost of living... » READ MORE 3. 'I'm so angry': Christopher Lee shares thoughts about son Zed sharing bed with Fann Wong Christopher Lee recently expressed his thoughts about his spot on the bed being taken over by his son Zed... » READ MORE 4. 'I have seen his hands tremble, his eyes go blank': Son's Kpod addiction leaves parents in $30k debt A father has shared his frustrations and concerns after his son was dismissed from multiple jobs due to an addiction to 'Kpods' — vape pods containing liquid laced with etomidate, a powerful anaesthetic... » READ MORE editor@
AsiaOne
22-07-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
'I have seen his hands tremble, his eyes go blank': Son's K-pod addiction leaves parents in $30k debt, Singapore News
A father has shared his frustrations and concerns after his son was dismissed from multiple jobs due to an addiction to 'Kpods' — vape pods containing liquid laced with etomidate, a powerful anaesthetic. In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, the father, who did not wish to be named, said his son, who is in his 20s, began using the e-vaporisers in January last year. However, it wasn't until January this year that his appearance and mental state changed dramatically. Before-and-after photos seen by Shin Min showed a shocking transformation: from a healthy young man with a ruddy complexion and strong physique to someone pale, thin, and with dull eyes. Despite bringing his son for counselling in March this year and receiving repeated assurances that he would quit his addiction, the young man continued to break his promises. What disappointed him most was seeing his son come home recently with an unsteady gait and vacant expression — a clear sign that he had relapsed. "I have seen his hands tremble, his eyes go blank and sometimes he has to hold onto the wall just to walk," said the father, adding that his son had been fired from three to four jobs this year due to the addiction. However, the situation worsened when his son, who was financially desperate, began borrowing money from a loan company, resulting in a wave of collection letters sent to the family. The father revealed that he and his wife have used their life savings to pay off most of their son's debts. According to the Chinese daily, one of the collection notices showed that each loan was around $2,500. "I'm heartbroken at his actions, but he's still my son. I told him that as long as he stops smoking, I would pay off the $30,000 debt he owes," he said, adding that he and his wife still have no idea where their son obtained the e-vaporisers. "I feel completely hopeless. I don't even dare report this to the Health Sciences Authority. If they fine him and he can't pay, we'll be the ones left to bear the cost." The father told Shin Min that during Chinese New Year, his son was even assaulted by a seller after failing to pay for e-vaporisers bought on credit. "The person told him that if he couldn't pay, he'd have to run errands to repay the debt. Isn't that illegal?" the father questioned, revealing that strangers have also taken photos of their front door. In March alone, the father said he found more than 20 e-vaporisers in his son's room. "Sometimes I'd confiscate them, and he'd just go out for a walk and come back with a new one," he said, adding that many of the devices come in various shapes and colours. Quit his job to supervise son In a desperate attempt to help, the father told Shin Min that he quit his job in March and stayed home to supervise his son for a month. "I was worried he'd buy more e-vaporisers, and I hoped he'd quit and stay away from bad influences," he said. With his son initially showed signs of improvement, the father returned to work in April — only to discover that his son had secretly resumed vaping. The father said he hopes to warn others about the dangers of vapes through his personal experience, while urging authorities to step up enforcement and introduce policies that impose equal penalties on both buyers and sellers. Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, the purchase, possession, and use of e-vaporisers are illegal, with offenders facing fines of up to $2,000. Possessing or using pods containing etomidate, a controlled substance under the Poisons Act that can cause permanent organ failure and hallucinations, can result in jail of up to two years and a fine of up to $10,000. [[nid:720471]]
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Straits Times
HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Vapes that contain vape juice mixed with potent ingredients like etomidate or ketamine are known as Kpods. SINGAPORE - The ongoing crackdown on e-vaporisers turned dramatic on July 10 when an enforcement officer dived into a moving car to stop a suspected peddler from escaping. The scene played out on Bishan Street 13, when the alleged pusher tried to escape during an operation by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). As HSA officers moved in to surround the car, the driver revved his engine and tried to speed away. One officer opened the left front door and jumped in, which forced the driver to stop about 50 metres away. The Straits Times, posing as an interested buyer online, had contacted four sellers who were pushing e-vaporisers and etomidate-laced pods, or 'Kpods' on social media platforms including Telegram. Vapes that contain vape juice mixed with potent ingredients like etomidate or ketamine are known as Kpods. Etomidate is currently classified as a poison under the Poisons Act. This means a licence is required for its importation or sale. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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After a brief exchange of messages, the peddler agreed to meet at Bishan, saying a 'delivery man' would drop off the item. At 3.45pm, a grey car arrived at the location and an HSA officer, posing as the buyer, approached the car. The officer identified himself as an enforcement agent and the man panicked and tried to make a getaway. That was when another officer jumped into the car as it accelerated. After the man was detained, officers searched his car and found several white envelopes filled with Kpods that had been marked for delivery. Officers also found multiple folders, each named with different brands of Kpods such as 'Zombie' or 'USDT'. In total, HSA officers seized 28 vape devices and 814 vape pods from the man's car. ST understands the majority of the pods may be Kpods. The haul was larger than anticipated. The suspect, who is 27 years old, claimed he was just the delivery man. Officers later raided his residence nearby and found a small stash of vape and related components in his bedroom. He was the second young peddler to be caught within a matter of weeks. Vapes that contain vape juice mixed with potent ingredients like etomidate or ketamine are known as Kpods. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Acting on a tip-off, HSA had raided a residence in the vicinity of Yishun Avenue 6 on June 23, where they caught a 22-year-old woman. Three of her friends - two women, aged 22 and 33, and a 32-year-old man - were also in the flat. The four suspects appeared disorientated and groggy when HSA officers checked them. The suspects later claimed to have inhaled Kpods just before the raid. HSA officers found 219 vapes and its related components. A large proportion of the products are believed to be Kpods. ST, who accompanied the enforcement officers on the raid, understands the four are colleagues from a nightclub. The 22-year-old woman, who works as a hostess, had allegedly sold Kpods on social media. Her customers included her colleagues. More raids The operation was one of many HSA has been conducting to tackle the vaping scourge, which has become more insidious with the influx of drug-laced vapes. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had warned in a report in May of the emergence of etomidate abuse in East Asia and South-east Asia, including Singapore. The number of cases involving etomidate-laced vape pods have nearly tripled in Singapore to 28 cases in the first six months of 2025, compared to the 10 cases found across 2024. In response, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Home Affairs told ST that the Government is considering if current enforcement laws should be enhanced with the emergence of laced e-vaporisers. HSA conducts multiple operations a week targeting trade in e-vaporisers. The agency also works closely with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority 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. HSA said 101 people were caught with e-vaporisers during these operations. It added: 'Additionally, ICA detected e-vaporiser smuggling cases involving 91 smugglers and referred them to HSA.' One of the largest hauls this year occurred in January when the agency raided an industrial unit and seized more than 8,700 vapes and its components, worth around $137,000, including etomidate-laced devices. Between January 2024 and March 2025, MOH and HSA said more than $41 million worth of vapes and its related components were seized. More than 14,600 people were caught by the authorities in 2024, compared to just 4,916 in 2022. Those arrested have also included major distributors. One of the largest hauls to date happened in March 2024. Two men transporting two packages of vapes were stopped at a roadblock near St Andrew's Road. This led authorities to raid two warehouse units which held more than 400,000 vapes worth more than $6 million. The previous record haul was in 2021, when HSA seized more than $2.2m worth of e-vaporisers and related components from a storage facility in Boon Lay. The $6 million raid was in the news recently when two men were charged in court with trying to break into a warehouse HSA uses to store evidence, including confiscated vapes. They were planning to steal vapes seized by HSA. The men were allegedly working for one Chua Wee Ming, who had imported vapes and its related components into Singapore for distribution. Chua is said to be connected to the $6 million worth of e-vaporisers and related components seized by HSA. As part of efforts to tackle vaping, HSA also collaborates with e-commerce and social media platforms to take down e-vaporiser online listings. It said: 'More than 6,800 listings of e-vaporisers and related components online were removed from January 2024 to March 2025. This was more than double the 3,100 listings removed in 2023.' HSA added that 15 individuals were also identified and fined for posting photographs or videos of e-vaporisers on their social media accounts in the same period.
AsiaOne
26-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Teens behave erratically after allegedly using drug-laced ‘Kpods' in Punggol, Singapore News
Several teenagers were spotted behaving erratically after allegedly using drug-laced 'Kpods' vaporisers outside a mall in Punggol. According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday (June 24) at around 1am. In a video uploaded to Sgfollowsall Instagram on June 24, youths could be seen stumbling unsteadily, walking in a zombie-like manner, with one collapsing and another struggling to walk straight after allegedly using the drug-laced vapes. Unlike regular vape liquids, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has warned that 'Kpods' contain etomidate — an anaesthetic agent classified as a poison under the Poisons Act. According to the person who recorded the video, the incident took place at Punggol Waterway. The person also reportedly called the police after leaving the scene. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sgfollowsall (@sgfollowsall) When Shin Min visited the scene on June 24, they observed that the incident took place not far from Punggol MRT Station. Shin Min quoted teenagers as saying that the area, known for its spaciousness and convenience, is a popular hangout spot among youngsters. However, none of them recognised the youths featured in the video. Nearby shop owners also told the Chinese daily that the area is a popular gathering spot for youths, especially after 8pm. The shop owners also noted that teenagers frequently gather there to smoke e-cigarettes, ride bicycles, and eat, with crowds sometimes swelling to as many as 50 people. In the comments section of the video post, several netizens have also expressed concern about the growing trend of vaping among teenagers. One netizen highlighted the serious dangers associated with 'Kpods', while another expressed hope that more support and intervention would be provided for the affected youths. Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, purchase, possession and use of e-vaporisers are prohibited, including purchases made through the internet and from overseas. Offenders can be fined up to $2,000, and those possessing or using pods containing etomidate can face a maximum penalty of imprisonment for up to 2 years and a fine of up to $10,000 under the Poisons Act. [[nid:716393]]
