1 in 3 vapes here laced with etomidate; MOH working with MHA to list it as illegal drug: Ong Ye Kung

The authorities are working to list etomidate, which is being abused via e-vaporisers, under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on July 20.

This paves the way for abusers and traffickers of Kpods – vapes containing etomidate – to be treated in the same way as those who abuse or traffic drugs like nimetazepam, also known as Erimin-5, with mandatory rehabilitation and jail time for repeat offenders.

Currently, etomidate is listed under the Poisons Act. Under this law, abusers face only a fine. Sellers face possible jail time of up to two years.

But with the growing trend of vapes containing the drug, Mr Ong said it was now necessary to take stronger action.

This will be done in the coming weeks, and is an interim measure till further changes can be made to the law to tackle the vaping scourge here, he added.

The Ministry of Health is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to do this.

The move comes after one in three vapes recently seized here was found to contain etomidate.

Speaking on the sidelines of the opening of a dog run in Sembawang on July 20, Mr Ong said a third of more than 100 vapes seized during enforcement operations and tested at random were found to contain the substance.

He said that previously, a vape would be used mainly for the delivery of nicotine.

“But today, it is a delivery device for a range of substances, from nicotine to psychoactive substances such as etomidate, to hardcore drugs that are illegal under the MDA as well,” he said.

“When that is the situation, it requires a whole-of-government effort to enforce against this.”

Etomidate is a medicinal ingredient used in clinical practice as an anaesthetic agent and is classified as a poison under the Poisons Act. It was designed to be injected directly into the veins under clinical supervision and was never meant to be inhaled directly into the lungs.

When vaped, it can trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and psychosis. 

Mr Ong confirmed that several deaths here have been linked to abuse of the substance.

He said: “We have seen some deaths – traffic accidents, as well as unnatural deaths – where etomidate was implicated and investigations are ongoing.

“I think there is strong suspicion that it is already causing deaths in Singapore, so it is a serious problem.”

Listing etomidate under the MDA will mean abusers will be subject to supervision, and may be committed to a drug rehabilitation centre, he said.

Mr Ong urged those who are using Kpods to stop immediately.

He said: “I urge those who are consuming etomidate-laced vapes to give it up now, before the law catches up to you. It is very harmful, and the time to give up is now.”

He added that a big challenge in dealing with vapes is the attitude towards them, with vapes having been successfully marketed by vape makers to young people as harmless and trendy.

“It’s actually unconscionable,” he said.

“We are up against a mindset that might have set in among some young people, and we now need to counter that.”

In a separate update on July 20, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said it will be extending the hours for its reporting hotline.

Previously, HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch could be reached only from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays. But the hotline service to report vaping-related offences will be expanded to operate seven days a week, with extended hours from 9am to 9pm, HSA said.

ST launched its anti-vaping campaign, Vaping: The Invisible Crisis, on July 13.

Mr Ong said of the initiative at the July 20 event: “The Straits Times is on a useful campaign, in my view, to raise awareness of the harmfulness of etomidate and also to urge agencies to step up actions. Many members of the public have done likewise.”

When ST launched the campaign, several Telegram channels selling vapes became significantly less active. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the vape scourge.

Kpods have reportedly been pushed in Singapore by organised crime groups, with the local authorities now intensifying crackdowns. Public healthcare institutions have also been told to record all Kpod cases.

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 found in possession of or using pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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