Over half of vapers, 8 in 10 etomidate abusers are under 30: Ong Ye Kung

Young people form the bulk of those caught up in the vaping scourge, with figures showing that more than 80 per cent of etomidate abusers and over half of those caught vaping are under the age of 30.

- Andrew Wong

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung disclosed these figures on Aug 28 at a press conference to outline the various measures the Government is taking to tackle vaping.

The landscape has changed, he said, noting that in the past, smoking and substance abuse were treated as two separate issues that affected two different groups of people.

E-vaporisers have since become a delivery device, he said.

"The two behaviours become mixed up, and vapes become a gateway for very serious substance abuse. So we're facing a very different situation now."

Mr Ong said many people, especially the young, had picked up vaping because they believed it was not as harmful as smoking cigarettes.

"And then out of curiosity, out of coercion, or out of just ignorance, they wander into substance abuse, which is what we are seeing now for etomidates," he said.

Mr Ong said the current approach to tackling substance abuse has to shift as a result of this changing landscape, to a whole-of-government effort.