If you’re a heavy vaper or thinking of starting to vape, this is for you.
From Sept 1 onwards, foreign visitors in Singapore, including Malaysians, face the risk of deportation and permanently banned from entering the country if they’re caught vaping or possess e-cigarettes, reported NST.
Heavy penalties for offenders
The announcement was made by Singapore’s Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs, where it outlined the punishment that await those who flaunt the law.
If a foreigner is found to have e-cigarettes on them, they will have their devices confiscated and be fined. As for Short-Term Visit Pass holders who re-offend. they will be banned from re-entering Singapore.
As for long-term passes holders — including Employment Passes, S Passes, Work Permits, Student Passes, Dependant Passes, or Long-Term Visit Passes — they will have their passes revoked be deported barred from future entry if they commit the offense for the third time.
Aside from vape products, the law will also apply to etomidate-based vapes, popularly known as Kpods.
Like e-cigarettes, those found in possession of Kpods or test positive for the substance will be subjected to deportation and a permanent entry ban.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said vape disposal bins would be placed at Changi Airport for arriving and transit passengers, as well as new advisories urging travellers to surrender their devices.
For first-time offenders under 18, they face a fine of S$500 (RM1,750), an increase from S$300, while adults will be fined S$700 (RM2,450), an increase from S$500.
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said leniency might be granted for young or first-time offenders, but not for repeat offenders
The crackdown comes amidst rising cases of vape-related incidents in Singapore, which the government has since called a “vaping scourge”.
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