In Singapore, the limits vaping is a very serious issues and it comes under the control of advertisements and sale as per Tobacco Act. Under the law, all electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) will be covered, as per which not a single product can sold, imported and distributed. ENDS contain e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products. This even pertains to the number of nicotine present e-liquids dosages or non-nicotine containing. The smuggling of any kind of vaping gadget into Singapore is taken into consideration a legal offense as well as first-time culprits can be fined as much as SGD 10,000 or deal with approximately six months behind bars. For subsequent offenses, penalties can rise to SGD 20,000 or 12 months imprisonment.
The rules also ban the possession and consumption of any vape products as well. These laws are strictly enforced by the authorities that they even goes undercover to catch seller and buyer within the country. According to a government report last year, Singapore authorities confiscated over 6,000 illegal vape products in 2022 — illustrating stringent enforcement. The stringent measures are involved in Singapore's comprehensive public health approach to discourage tobacco use and avoid the introduction of a new means of providing nicotine.
The Act is also prohibition vaping advertisements, having no means of providing any forms of marketing or promotion for the vaping products. This fits with how the country has cracked down on exemptions when it comes to tobacco advertising since 2000. Singapore has been commended for its strong measures by the World Health Organization (WHO)) and claims one of the lowest smoking rates globally, estimated at around 10%.
In a time where many countries, including the United States and the UK are adopting pro-vaping policies (although this is starting to change), Singapore is standing firm on its anti-vaping agenda. The health ministry stressed last October the possibility of nicotine addiction, especially for the young and lung damage as some of the potential negative effects of vaping limit studies were indicating. A 2020 Health Promotion Board survey revealed that when it came to the ban on vaping in Singapore, 90% of respondents supported the government, due to health risks and youth exposure.
Singapore has a hair-trigger approach in this respect and that is quite consistent with the government's historical focus on public health and safety. Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has stated that some countries "view vaping as a way to quit smoking, [but] Singapore sees it differently — we view it as a new killer on the block." His words emphasize the nation's intentions on keeping vaping away, over unresolved risks to long-term health.
Breaking these laws is penalized harshly, especially those trying to import or sell black-market items. The government of Singapore is very keen on retaining a vape-free environment and the laws in place therefore clearly dictate how these products may be used and distributed.
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