District Judge Signals Sterner Penalties for Vaping Offences, Cites Public Concern

Judge Highlights Need to Move Beyond Dated Legal Precedents in Handling Such Cases

- Andrew Wong

A State Courts judge has signaled possible sterner penalties for vape-related offences in the light of public sentiment.

District Judge Wong Li Tein was on Aug 21 presiding over the case of a woman who is accused of helping another individual to purchase five vape devices through messaging platform WhatsApp.

During proceedings, a Health Sciences Authority (HSA) prosecutor informed the court that the woman had been reminded twice about her court date but had become uncontactable to the investigating officers for her case.

The prosecutor then called for a warrant of arrest after Nicole Lorraine Rodrigues, 32, failed to turn up in court.

In a subsequent exchange in court, the judge said she would have adjourned the case even if the accused had turned up.

This was to allow the HSA prosecutor to relook the submissions for sentencing.

"Cases involving vaping have caught a lot of public attention, and it is no longer feasible to rely on dated precedence," said the judge.

She noted that even cases that were prosecuted as recently as 2024 are "no longer going to be the same" as the cases that are being tried in court now, due to growing public attention.

The judge said this consideration has to be applied to all vaping cases, not just those involving laced vapes, or Kpods.

"We need to start relooking at the sentencing submissions for these cases as they are currently not in line with public sentiment," District Judge Wong said, noting that current convictions effectively result in a low jail term or a fine.

"If I were to sentence today, and it is published in The Straits Times tomorrow that a low imprisonment term or fine is given, I'm sure there will be a public outcry," she said.