Illicit vaping on the rise, more caught last year

4,916 people nabbed for using, possessing e-cigarettes in 2022, versus 1,266 in 2020 

- Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

Last Friday night was just like any other weekend night, with young people packing walkways to get into nightclubs and bars in Clarke Quay.

A persistent sweet aroma in the air, however, was the first whiff that the illegal act of vaping may have caught on with the revellers.

Sure enough, at designated smoking corners, as well as inside clubs, dozens of partygoers could be seen openly inhaling the mist from vaporisers despite it being disallowed on club premises.

The latest figures from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) indicate a rise in the vaping trend with almost four times the number of people caught in 2022 than in 2020 for using and possessing ecigarettes.

In 2022, 4,916 people were caught for the offence, which comes with a fine not exceeding $2,000, compared with 1,266 in 2020, and 4,697 in 2021.

A smoking and vaping survey by Milieu in September 2022 also showed illicit vaping to be on the rise in Singapore, with 4.3 percent of adults using alternative products like vapes. This was a 10 percent increase from 3.9 per cent in September 2021, and a 43 per cent increase from 3 per cent in the first quarter of 2021.

Vaporisers or e-cigarettes consist of an atomiser, a battery source and a small container for e-liquid or juice. The liquid, which may contain nicotine and chemicals like glycerine and propylene glycol, is heated to form an aerosol that is eventually inhaled. The e-juice comes in flavours such as watermelon, mango, green tea and even buttermilk pudding.