Teenager charged with selling vapes on WhatsApp
Albee Chai Buo Yin, 19, was given three charges on Tuesday (Jul 22) under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act for advertising electronic cigarettes, selling vapes and possessing vapes.
According to charge sheets, the Singaporean sold three disposable vapes to a person named only as Javier via WhatsApp on Aug 3, 2024.
She is accused of publishing an advertisement of imitation tobacco products by posting an image of an assortment of Lana e-cigarettes on WhatsApp on Oct 22 last year.
Chai allegedly was found to have six disposable vapes and one vape with a pod in it on Dec 19 at a flat in Jurong West Street 91.
Asked to give an indication of her plea, she said she would plead guilty and was given a date to do so in August.
If convicted of selling vapes or advertising their sale, she can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
If convicted of possessing vapes for purposes other than sale, she can be fined up to S$2,000.
The charging comes after heightened enforcement by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and other ministries to crack down on vaping offences, especially among students.
HSA said on Sunday that more than 2,500 reports of vaping were made in the first half of 2025, compared with over 3,000 such reports for the whole of 2024.
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