Reformative training for woman caught with Kpods twice in 1½ months at same club
Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
May 15, 2026
A young woman who was caught twice at the same nightspot with etomidate-laced vaporisers, also known as Kpods, was ordered on May 15 to undergo reformative training for at least a year.
Tan Xin Yi, 21, will be detained in a centre to undergo a strict regimen that can include foot drills and counselling.
In January, Tan pleaded guilty to being in possession of a Kpod on two separate occasions, after she committed the offences on Aug 16 and Sept 28, 2025.
On both occasions, enforcement officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) caught her in a club at Excelsior Shopping Centre in Coleman Street.
Tan’s bail has been set at $10,000, and she is expected to begin serving her sentence on June 3.
When vaped, etomidate enters the lungs directly and may trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and even psychosis.
Under enhanced laws on vaping that were effective from Sept 1, 2025, first-time etomidate abusers will face an increased fine of $700 for those 18 and above, or $500 for those below 18.
They will also be required to attend rehabilitation for up to six months.
On Nov 27, 2025, a 16-year-old boy became the first Kpod abuser to be admitted to a Singapore Prison Service drug rehabilitation centre, for two months, after being caught for etomidate-related offences on three occasions.
This followed the interim listing on Sept 1 that year of etomidate as a Class C controlled drug, following a spate of incidents related to Kpods in Singapore.
To report vaping offences and the sale of vaping devices to the authorities, members of the public can contact HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily.
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