Alarm At Singapore's Regressive Vaping Policy: Treating All Vaping As Drug Issue Threatens Evidence-Based Harm Reduction

Monday, 18 August 2025, 11:01 am
Press Release: CAPHRA

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today expressed deep concern over Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's announcement that the city-state will treat all vaping as a drug issue, implementing jail sentences and severe penalties that risk undermining decades of tobacco harm reduction science.

"Singapore's blanket criminalisation of vaping is a backward step that ignores overwhelming global evidence of these products' potential to save lives," declared Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA Executive Coordinator. "Whilst we understand concerns about etomidate-laced products, treating all vaping like dangerous drugs flies in the face of successful harm reduction strategies that have transformed public health outcomes worldwide."

PM Wong announced during his National Day Rally speech that Singapore will impose "much stiffer penalties" including jail sentences for vaping offences, stating the government will "treat this as a drug issue" rather than a tobacco control matter. The policy shift comes as etomidate, an anaesthetic agent found in some illegal vapes, is classified as a Class C controlled drug.

"Singapore is conflating two entirely different issues – contaminated illegal products and legitimate nicotine vaping devices," said Loucas. "This is like banning all alcohol because some criminals sell methanol-laced spirits. It's a policy failure that will deny adult smokers access to proven harm reduction tools whilst driving the market further underground."

Singapore's smoking rates have remained stubbornly stagnant at around 10-16% for over a decade despite implementing comprehensive WHO MPOWER measures. The city-state banned e-cigarettes in 2018, yet continues to struggle with plateauing smoking rates that traditional tobacco control methods have failed to address.

"Singapore's own data proves that prohibition doesn't work," charged Loucas. "Smoking rates have flatlined for years despite every possible control measure. Meanwhile, countries embracing regulated harm reduction are seeing dramatic reductions in smoking-related deaths."

"The evidence is crystal clear – regulated access to safer nicotine products accelerates smoking decline," said Loucas. "Countries like the UK, Sweden, Japan, and New Zealand are proving that harm reduction saves lives. Singapore is choosing ideology over evidence."

"Singapore prides itself on evidence-based policymaking, yet this announcement abandons science for fear-mongering," said Loucas. "Adult smokers deserve access to products that are at least 95% safer than cigarettes, as confirmed by the UK's Royal College of Physicians and countless peer-reviewed studies."

CAPHRA acknowledged legitimate concerns about contaminated vaping products but argued that proper regulation, not prohibition, provides the solution. Countries with regulated markets have virtually eliminated dangerous substances whilst providing quality-controlled alternatives.

"You don't solve contamination by banning the category – you solve it through proper regulation, quality standards, and legitimate supply chains," explained Loucas. "Singapore's approach will ensure more dangerous products flood the black market whilst denying smokers life-saving alternatives."

About CAPHRA

CAPHRA Position Statement on Industry Independence:

• The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates (CAPHRA) is a regional alliance of consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations. CAPHRA is not related to, or funded by any commercial interests. It is composed of volunteer consumer advocates from the Asia Pacific Region. We hope putting forward this information would clarify any doubt as to our interests and intentions.
• CAPHRA stays committed to its mission to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use. We advocate for the rights of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region to access and use evidence-based, regulated, and properly marketed harm reduction products as a means of reducing the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases.

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