Latest news with #Kpods
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
MP urges government to list etomidate as dangerous drug
KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher has called on the government to list etomidate under the Poisons Act and the Dangerous Drugs Act, following reports of the drug being fatal in Singapore. Bandar Kuching member of parliament Dr Kelvin Yii said etomidate is an intravenous anaesthetic drug that has been misused as a recreational substance through vape products, often marketed as Kpods. "This is not just a theory or speculation. We are witnessing the harsh reality where this drug has already claimed lives in our neighbouring country, Singapore. "If Malaysia does not act swiftly and firmly, we too may face preventable deaths, especially among our youth. "Etomidate is an intravenous anaesthetic drug, but it has been misused as a recreational substance. It is not safe. There is a risk of sudden death when inhaling etomidate," he said during his debate on the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025. He said users may suffer severe respiratory distress, sudden unconsciousness, injury, and adrenal crisis, which affects the body's ability to produce stress hormones like cortisol for several days. "This can cause dangerously low blood pressure and organ failure." Yii said Kpods, which often contain this substance, are heavily marketed to young people. He added that Singapore has listed etomidate under its Poisons Act and has gone a step further to upgrade its classification to a dangerous drug. "I believe we should learn from this and not wait until our children are affected or lives are lost. "I call on the government to classify etomidate as a dangerous drug. "I believe the Health Ministry, the National Anti-Drugs Agency, and the Home Ministry must ensure that both the Poisons Act and the Dangerous Drugs Act are amended to explicitly regulate etomidate as an illegal substance, with penalties that reflect its serious harm to our children. "We must also enforce existing vape laws more strictly. This includes increasing inspections and raids against illegal vape distributors and considering stricter controls over vape liquids and devices," he said. He also urged the government to enhance Malaysia's capabilities in detection and forensic analysis. He said immediate funding should be allocated to the Chemistry Department, the police forensic unit, and relevant laboratories to acquire specialised equipment such as GC-MS/MS, and to develop validated testing protocols for detecting etomidate in vape liquids and biological samples like urine and blood. "I also urge the Health Ministry to issue strong warnings and implement aggressive public education campaigns. "We need a national campaign to ensure that our children understand the dangers of this poison. "There should also be messaging that Kpods can stop your breathing and kill you instantly. Etomidate is not a toy. These Kpods are not toys. I believe this campaign must continue and be targeted at both parents and children," he said. Last week, it was reported that Singapore is working to list etomidate as a Class C drug under its Misuse of Drugs Act. Singapore's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung was quoted in a report published by CNA as saying that authorities had randomly tested more than 100 seized vape devices, and one-third were found to contain etomidate. Ong also noted that there have been deaths including from traffic accidents and unnatural causes in which etomidate was implicated, with investigations still ongoing.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Vaping, Kpods and teenage risk-taking: An old problem in a new world
Part of what makes vaping and Kpods so dangerous is how trends make them seem ordinary, says the writer. When a grieving father in Singapore recently shared how he lost his 19-year-old daughter to Kpod addiction, it struck a chord. His grief was raw, his words honest. His decision to speak out was not merely an act of remembrance. It was a warning to all of us. He is far from alone. Increasing numbers of teenagers here are turning to vaping and, more worryingly, to vape pods laced with sedatives such as ketamine or etomidate, known as Kpods. These devices look sleek, smell fruity and are easy to hide, but the harm they cause can be permanent.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
‘I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Madam Tan (not her real name) is hoping for stronger intervention and a coordinated effort by the various government agencies to help youth like her son. SINGAPORE – Since discovering that her son had started vaping last September, Madam Tan (not her real name) has tried every possible avenue to help him break free from his Kpod addiction. But after being bounced between agencies, she feels helpless and increasingly desperate. 'I've sought help from all the agencies, but no one is able to help me.' Madam Tan said her son picked up vaping in secondary school, just before sitting his O levels in 2024. He is now an 18-year-old student at the Institute of Technical Education. 'Now he walks like a zombie, and has no control of his body. When I call him, his response is slow. He's got no muscle at all and his body has become very weak,' she said. Unable to wake up in the mornings, her son has missed many days of school. When Madam Tan and her husband, both in their 50s, try to confront the teen about his vaping and confiscate his devices, he gets aggressive and at times has run away from home. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore Black belt in taekwondo, Grade 8 in piano: S'pore teen excels despite condition that limits movements Singapore As Asean looks to nuclear energy, public education efforts are needed: UN nuclear watchdog chief Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur calling for the resignation of PM Anwar Asia Death toll climbs as Thai-Cambodia clashes continue despite calls for ceasefire Asia Shunsaku Tamiya, who brought perfection to plastic race car models, dies at 90 'Tonight I confiscate, tomorrow he has a new vape. It's too easy to get vapes nowadays,' she said. At her wits' end, she has called the authorities at least 10 times, sometimes at midnight, when she finds her son defiantly vaping at home. But the most they could do was to confiscate the vapes, along with issuing fines or a warning. She asked if any agency could conduct an investigation and locate the vape distributor or seller, but was told that was not possible. 'I said, please investigate my son. It's not so difficult to switch on his phone, check the chats and find out who is the seller. Why can't (anyone) help us to do this thing?' More on this topic Singapore's vaping crisis lays bare the drug addiction nightmare for parents Earlier in 2025, her son was caught by the police in possession of Kpods. She was relieved when her son had to report to Bedok Police Station every week for a month after that, and undergo drug tests on his hair and urine. Even so, her son was using Kpods at home during that period. He also saw doctors thrice this year at the National Addictions Management Service clinic at the Institute of Mental Health for his Kpod addiction. She also informed her son's teachers that he was using Kpods and urged them to conduct bag checks. But he has yet to be caught. Running out of options, she sought help from two MPs at three Meet-the-People Sessions. She was referred to a counsellor, but her son refused help. She also spent a few thousand dollars engaging a private rehabilitation centre to help her son, but that failed too. Madam Tan is hoping for stronger intervention and a coordinated effort by the various government agencies to help youth like her son who are Kpod addicts, before it is too late. 'There's no way for them to quit by themselves. We have to come up with something, like compulsory rehab for these kids,' she said. 'It is out of my hands. There is no way now for me to control my son and help him.'
AsiaOne
5 days ago
- AsiaOne
'Please don't believe it': Hougang resident harassed for 2 years after address mistaken as Kpods pickup point, Singapore News
A Hougang resident is upset after his address was falsely used as a pickup location for contraband items, including vape devices, accessories and 'Kpod' drug vaporisers. This comes after his home was allegedly listed online as a location for free giveaways. The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that he has been harassed by this issue for the past two years, reported Shin Min Daily News. This started when a website called "Our Vape Store", which claimed to sell Kpods, had reportedly directed customers to pick up their orders at his unit, located at Block 251, Hougang Avenue 3. The website allegedly features a range of e-cigarette cartridges, priced between $50 and $210, and provides island-wide delivery for an additional $15, reported Shin Min. His address was also reportedly listed on Telegram by sellers marketing vape devices and 'Kpod' drug vaporisers. The frustrated resident disclosed that strangers have come to his door as late as 3 or 4am, asking about their goods. He then resorted to installing a CCTV camera near his unit, so that he can immediately call the police whenever he spots a stranger waiting outside his home. He said that he still has no idea who is behind the prank, despite informing the police multiple times. There's now a notice pasted outside his door, informing members of the public that his address had been misused by scammers and urging them not to believe the claims about free gifts, reported Shin Min. "Scammers used my home address to harass us. Please don't believe it, we have already reported it to the police," the notice stated, adding that anyone who had fallen victim to the scam should report the incident to the authorities. The resident also said that scammers had previously set up multiple Facebook groups, claiming that free items were available for pickup at his unit. Man charged for making Kpods On July 17, a man was charged for allegedly making drug-laced vapes, or Kpods, at home with the intent to sell. The Singaporean, who faces a total of eight charges, including two for selling and possessing etomidate with intent to sell under the Poisons Act, is scheduled to appear in court on August 11. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on July 20, that the authorities are working to list etomidate under the Misuse of Drugs Act, which would treat abusers and traffickers of Kpods to be treated in the same way as those who abuse or traffic drugs, reported The Straits Times. 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:719505]]
Singapore Law Watch
6 days ago
- Singapore Law Watch
Judge asks prosecution for more information on Kpods in first case involving etomidate-laced vapes
Judge asks prosecution for more information on Kpods in first case involving etomidate-laced vapes Source: Straits Times Article Date: 24 Jul 2025 Author: Samuel Devaraj The court has directed the Health Sciences Authority to provide more information for sentencing, including a profile of end users. In the first prosecution involving etomidate-laced vapes, known as Kpods, the court has directed the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to provide more information for sentencing, including a profile of end users. Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim, 41, who is alleged to have made the Kpods at home with the intent to sell them, had been expected to plead guilty on July 23. The Singaporean, who is facing a total of eight charges, including two for selling and possession to sell etomidate under the Poisons Act in Yishun, is now scheduled to do so on Aug 11 after the case was adjourned for the prosecution to flesh out its sentencing submissions. In court on July 23, Deputy Principal District Judge Ong Chin Rhu noted that the prosecution had furnished a skeletal sentencing submission. She added that, given the novelty of the case and the fact that there are no precedents for the possession for sale of etomidate under the Poisons Act, time should be given for the prosecution to furnish a full version. This would include case law for a case of this nature, Judge Ong said. Apart from the profile of end users, she also asked for statistics on the rise of vapes containing etomidate in Singapore, which she said would better inform the court about their prevalence. She also asked for information about the effects of inhaling etomidate, noting that the prosecution had provided information on the consequences of its intravenous use. Etomidate is an anaesthetic agent used in clinical practice to induce sedation and is controlled under the Poisons Act. In a recent seizure of over 100 vapes, a third was found to contain etomidate. One of Akil's charges involved the possession for sale of 26.4g of white powder, which was analysed and found to contain etomidate. Judge Ong asked the prosecution about the significance of this amount of the substance. 'Is that a lot in the grand scheme of things,' she asked, in wanting to know how many vapes could be manufactured with this amount. The HSA prosecutor said the agency is proceeding on three of the seven charges under its purview and seeking between 12 and 15 months' jail for Akil. HSA is asking for eight to 10 months' jail for the charge involving the 26.4g white powder and four to five months' jail for a charge involving the possession for the purpose of sale of 2,588 components of items designed to resemble tobacco products. These included 569 pieces of empty pod casings, 534 pieces of pod components and 1,485 pieces of pod covers. The recommended sentences are to run consecutively, with two to three months' jail proposed for a third charge of selling 100 vape pods containing etomidate to run concurrently. Akil's eighth charge is under the Passports Act for making a false statement to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) while applying for a new Singapore passport. He allegedly lied on Jan 20 that he forgot his bag, which contained his NRIC and passport, at a coffee shop and that his passport was not returned to him. An ICA prosecutor said it would be seeking six to eight weeks' jail for the offence, which will run consecutively with HSA's proposed sentences. Akil maintained his wish to plead guilty, noting he did not want to waste anyone's time and wanted the matter to end so he could move on with his life. Questioning the prosecution's labelling of him as a flight risk, he said he had no intention of absconding and has two children and an ageing mother. He has been offered $20,000 bail, of which $5,000 needs to be in cash. Lowering the cash component would allow him to be released from remand so he can help his son prepare for his Primary School Leaving Examination, he said. The prosecution said it would not be seeking a variance in his bail amount. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on July 20 that the authorities are working to list etomidate under the Misuse of Drugs Act, paving the way for abusers and traffickers of Kpods 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. Those who need help to quit vaping can join the Health Promotion Board's I Quit programme by calling the QuitLine on 1800-438-2000. Participants need not worry about being prosecuted, as it does not presume they are using or have used vaping products. But those caught using or possessing such items will be prosecuted. From July 21, HSA has extended the operating hours for its hotline to report vaping-related offences. The hotline now operates from 9am to 9pm daily, including on public holidays. HSA has also launched a new online portal to report vaping-related offences at 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. Print
