Latest news with #HealthSciencesAuthority
CNA
4 days ago
- General
- CNA
HSA's specialised system can automatically scan internet 24/7 for vape listings
The Health Sciences Authority is closely monitoring the use of e-vaporisers, or vapes to consume etomidate, a fast-acting anaesthetic used for medical procedures. The HSA warned that inhaling it directly into the lungs can cause side effects, such as spasms, breathing issues and seizures. Cases involving the drug are up by more than four times so far this year, compared with the whole of last year. Ahead of World No Tobacco Day, Aslam Shah takes an exclusive look at the agency's enforcement efforts.
CNA
16-05-2025
- Health
- CNA
15 fined for posting vaping content on social media
SINGAPORE: Fifteen people who posted photos or videos of e-vaporisers on their social media accounts between January 2024 and March 2025 were identified and fined, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Friday (May 16). Ten of the offenders were caught in the last two quarters. The platforms used by those caught include TikTok and the livestreaming platform Bigo. MOH and HSA said that over 17,900 people have been caught for the possession or use of e-vaporisers in the same period, attributing this to "stepped-up, multi-agency enforcement efforts". HSA said that it seized more than S$41 million (US$31.6 million) worth of e-vaporisers and components from January 2024 to March 2025 and prosecuted 60 people for selling vapes, including those linked to warehouses storing products worth millions of dollars. During joint operations by HSA and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) within the stipulated period, 101 travellers entering Singapore were caught with e-vaporisers. Smuggling cases involving 91 smugglers were also referred to HSA by ICA, the authorities said. About 6,437 listings of e-vaporisers and related components were removed from online platforms in 2024, more than double of the 3,149 listings removed in 2023, MOH and HSA said. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) provides cessation support for students caught vaping. Parents can call its QuitLine at 1800 438 2000 for a referral to HPB's smoking and vaping cessation service, the authorities said. 44 PER CENT INCREASE IN PEOPLE CAUGHT WITH VAPES According to data on HSA's website, 3,171 people were caught using or possessing e-vaporisers in the first quarter of 2025, a 44 per cent increase from the same period in 2024 (2,200). In the final quarter of 2024, 3,557 people were caught for similar offences. The authorities warned that possessing, using or purchasing vapes carries a maximum fine of S$2,000, while anyone caught selling them faces a fine of up to S$10,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both, with heavier punishments for repeat offenders. All prohibited tobacco items will be seized and confiscated. Those who fail to promptly pay their fines will face harsher consequences if prosecuted in court, MOH and HSA said, adding that 27 such offenders were prosecuted between January 2024 and March 2025.
Independent Singapore
16-05-2025
- Independent Singapore
Young woman dies after car crashes into bus along Punggol Road; illegal vape pods found in vehicle
- Advertisement - SINGAPORE: A 28-year-old woman has passed away, following a traffic collision between a car and a public bus along Punggol Road on Tuesday afternoon (May 13). The accident occurred at around 2.50pm along the stretch of Punggol Road heading towards the Tampines Expressway (TPE). According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), two individuals were taken to separate hospitals. The woman, who was a passenger in the car, was conveyed to Changi General Hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries. The driver of the car, a 30-year-old man, was sent to Sengkang General Hospital and was conscious at the time. - Advertisement - Photos taken by eyewitnesses are circulating online and show a dark grey car with a shattered windscreen and a crumpled hood, positioned just behind a public bus at a traffic junction. Public transport operator Go-Ahead Singapore confirmed that the incident involved Service 82. The operator confirmed that the driver and all 10 passengers on board the bus were unharmed and managed to safely disembark. The bus driver also quickly extinguished a fire that broke out in the car's engine compartment, using a fire extinguisher from the bus. - Advertisement - In the aftermath of the crash, police officers inspecting the car found several vape pods suspected to be part of an illegal e-vaporiser. The authorities have referred the matter to the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation. Investigations are ongoing.
CNA
15-05-2025
- CNA
Over 1,000 e-vaporisers and related components found in car after fatal Punggol accident
SINGAPORE: More than 1,000 e-vaporisers and related components were found in a car that was involved in a fatal accident, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Thursday (May 15). The accident, involving a car and a public bus, happened on Tuesday at about 2.50pm along Punggol Road towards the Tampines Expressway (TPE). The 30-year-old car driver was sent conscious to hospital, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said. His 28-year-old female passenger was also taken to the hospital, but she subsequently died. Police said they later found e-vaporiser pods in the car, adding that they would refer e-vaporiser-related offences to HSA. Responding to CNA queries, HSA said that more than 1,000 e-vaporisers and related components were discovered. "The driver is assisting the Health Sciences Authority in investigations related to e-vaporiser offences," it added. In pictures posted by Shin Min Daily News, the car had rear-ended the bus near the junction of Punggol Road and Sengkang East Way. The car appeared badly damaged, with its hood crumpled and its windshield smashed. The bus was also damaged in its left rear section. Police investigations are ongoing. HSA said it is an offence under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act to import, distribute, sell or offer for sale e-vaporisers and their components. Any person convicted of an offence may be fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,700), jailed for up to six months, or both for the first offence. A second or subsequent offence could see a fine of up to S$20,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Girl, 13, among 3 probed for offences linked to ‘Kpod' drug-laced vapes: HSA
SINGAPORE – The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) raided a teenager's home after she was seen behaving erratically while vaping in public outside the State Courts on April 24. In a statement on May 13, HSA said it had been alerted then to the 13-year-old girl, who was observed to be 'unsteady in gait and appeared to be oblivious of her surroundings; a sign of possible drug intoxication'. The authority subsequently identified her, and, in the raid on her residence, seized an e-vaporiser that was tested and found to contain etomidate – a medicinal ingredient used in clinical practice as an anaesthetic agent. Vapes that contain vape juice mixed with potent ingredients like etomidate or ketamine are known as Kpods. HSA later identified and caught the 25-year-old man who sold the e-vaporiser to the girl. One e-vaporiser and three pods seized from him were also found to contain etomidate. The man, his 26-year-old wife and the teenager are all assisting in an investigation into the case. Etomidate is a potent ingredient that should be administered only under medical supervision, said HSA. Adverse effects of etomidate include nausea and vomiting, uncontrollable movements or spasms of muscles, changes to breathing and blood pressure, seizures, psychosis and physical dependence. In a separate case, HSA identified a 36-year-old man seen vaping on an MRT train in a video posted on social media on April 18. HSA raided the man's residence but did not find any e-vaporisers, with the man claiming he had thrown his vape away. The authority is investigating the case. Vaping is illegal in Singapore. The purchase, possession and use of e-vaporisers are prohibited under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, and this includes those bought online or from overseas. Offenders can be fined up to $2,000. Those found with pods containing etomidate can also be charged under the Poisons Act. Those convicted can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $10,000, or both. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
