Woman frustrated by vaping scene in S'pore: 'Why is leading healthier lives so difficult?'
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Should more be done to clamp down on vaping in Singapore?
Stomper Pearlyn raised several concerns she has regarding e-cigarettes, including the ease of obtaining them and their harmful effects.
She said: "What is Singapore's current policy on e-cigarettes? Are they prohibited, allowed, or is the approach one of 'out of sight, out of mind'?
"Since e-cigarettes don't require ignition and have a mild scent, some users smoke them indoors, taking them out of their pockets to use and quickly concealing them.
"Those around me and I have been deeply affected by the harm of e-cigarettes. Initially, there didn't seem to be much of an impact, but over time, we began experiencing headaches, dizziness, fevers, colds, nasal allergies, and persistent coughing. People around me keep getting sick over and over again.
"After seeing a doctor, it was suggested that long-term exposure to second-hand e-cigarette smoke might be one cause."
Pearlyn said she has been experiencing nasal pain for nearly a year and it recently became so unbearable that she finally went to see a doctor.
She told Stomp: "Nowadays, most doctors prefer to play it safe and avoid making bold statements - they often just attribute everything to a bacterial infection and brush it off.
"This doctor, however, was one of the rare ones willing to make a more confident assumption after I described my condition. She examined the inside of my nose and found that both nasal passages were severely inflamed and reddened.
"I also mentioned that I spend time in an indoor, air-conditioned room where several people vape. She said my symptoms could very well be linked to this, as the lack of ventilation and the way vape smoke clings to furniture and carpets can create third-hand smoke, which is harmful to health."
On the issue of knowing people who vape, Pearlyn said: "What's worse is that no matter how many times we warn them, it has no effect. After a while, they return to smoking in secret.
"Some have even become distributors, using e-cigarettes themselves and making money in the process - why wouldn't they continue?
"The ease of obtaining these products is no surprise - no wonder many young people now own them. I'm truly worried about the next generation being exposed to these things.
"Is there an effective platform that can address this issue? What else can we do? This situation is really frustrating. We simply want to live healthier lives -why is that so diff icult?"
It is an offence to buy, sell, possess, or use e-cigarettes and other imitation tobacco products in Singapore.
Anyone convicted of the possession, use and purchase of e-vaporisers is liable to a fine of up to $2,000. Those caught selling, importing or distributing e-vaporisers may be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed up to six months for the first offence.
According to The Straits Times, 9,680 people were caught using or possessing vapes in the first nine months of 2024. This is more than the 7,838 people caught in the whole of 2023.
Meanwhile, there were 2,000 cases of students caught in possession of e-vaporisers in 2024, up from 900 in 2023 and 800 in 2022.
More info about the harms of vaping can be found on the Health Sciences Authority (HSA)'s website.
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