Etomidate’s temporary listing as Class C drug to continue as MOH finalises new vape laws: Shanmugam

New laws will be introduced within the first half of 2026 to tackle the e-vaporiser issue, with provisions also covering the anaesthetic agent etomidate.

The drug was listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) as a Class C drug from Sept 1, 2025, amid a surge in reports of young people using etomidate-laced vapes, also known as Kpods.

The temporary provisions, which allowed the authorities to introduce tougher penalties to deal with those who abuse and traffic etomidate, were slated to expire on Feb 28, 2026.

Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam on Feb 4 said etomidate will remain a Class C drug under the MDA as the Ministry of Health (MOH) drafts amendments to current laws.

A Bill will be tabled in Parliament within the first half of 2026, he added in a written parliamentary reply.

Mr Shanmugam, who is also Home Affairs Minister, was responding to Mr Ng Shi Xuan (Sembawang GRC), who had asked about the Government’s plans to strengthen vape laws.

Etomidate, which can trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and psychosis when vaped, was previously classified under the Poisons Act as a medicinal ingredient used in clinical practice.

Non-etomidate vapes are currently policed under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, with the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) as the lead agency.

When contacted by The Straits Times about the legislative changes, HSA made clear that the tough anti-vape stance will remain.

A spokesperson said HSA is seeking sentences at the higher end of existing penalty ranges for pending cases involving non-etomidate vapes, including those uncovered prior to the introduction of temporary provisions from Sept 1, 2025.

Under current laws, offenders who import, distribute, sell or offer for sale e-vaporisers and their components are liable to a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to six months or both for the first offence, and a fine of up to $20,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both for subsequent offences. 

The agency said it regularly reviews the sentencing frameworks, “to ensure they remain effective as deterrents and keep pace with evolving public health challenges posed by vaping”.

It noted that for etomidate-laced vapes, current laws under the MDA provide for sentences of three to 20 years’ imprisonment and five to 15 strokes of the cane for importers, and two to 10 years’ imprisonment and two to five strokes of the cane for sellers and distributors.

In sentencing offenders in vape-related cases, HSA said it assesses several factors to ensure that appropriate and proportionate enforcement action is taken.

Some of the these factors include, but are not limited to, the number of vapes involved, the nature and scale of the offence, whether commercial activity is involved, the offender’s compliance history, and the potential public health impact, said the spokesperson.

In court, offenders were handed higher sentences in vape cases.

On Jan 7, delivery driver Orison Toh Chun Kee was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail after he was caught with more than 1,500 vapes in his car, which he was supposed to send to customers.

This was eight times the jail term HSA originally sought.

In the last four months of 2025, 3,534 people were caught and fined for owning and using vapes.

Of these, 3,168 were vape offenders and the other 366 were Kpod abusers, said MOH and HSA in a joint statement on Jan 29.

On Jan 23, a 30-year-old man was charged in court with allegedly trafficking almost 2,000 Kpods into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint.

This was the largest haul of etomidate-laced pods seized since Sept 1, 2025.

To report vaping offences and the sale of vaping devices to the authorities, members of the public can contact HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily.

If you have a story to share about vapes, e-mail us at [email protected]

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

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