The Government of Singapore tightened its laws on the sale and use of vapes
Compartir:
The Government of Singapore, a country recognized for its strict anti-drug laws, announced on Thursday that starting September 1 it will impose sentences of up to 20 years in prison and 15 lashes on those who sell vapes containing etomidate, a substance with anesthetic properties.
“Vapes have become a gateway for substance abuse”, stated the city-state's Minister of Health, Ong Ye Kung, in a press release.
Singapore's Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, had already announced last Monday his intention to toughen laws on the sale and use of vapes, banned in the country since 2018, specifically mentioning etomidate.
“Since they are mostly young and probably ignorant, we believe they are different from hardened drug addicts, and they might be more willing to quit”, Ong added during a press conference.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) had warned in March about the growing expansion in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia of the commercialization of this substance for medical purposes, classified as a short-acting general anesthetic.
El primer ministro de Singapur, Lawrence Wong
In January of this year, Singaporean authorities dismantled a vape distribution network allegedly linked to etomidate, also known as kpod.
“Many people, especially young people, started vaping thinking it was fine and not as harmful as tobacco, and then (...) they got into substance abuse, which is what we're seeing now with etomidate”, Ong emphasized.
With the aim of eradicating the use of vapes, the minister indicated that containers will be installed throughout the country so that users can voluntarily deposit the devices before stricter measures are applied.
“Sellers of vaporizers with etomidate will now face up to 10 years in prison and five lashes (...) For importers, the penalty is more severe: up to 20 years in prison and 15 lashes”, the minister emphasized.
El vaper.
This represents a significant increase compared to the previous penalty of two years in prison and the absence of corporal punishment for those who imported, sold, or distributed etomidate.
Penalties for vape consumers
Meanwhile, consumers of vapes with etomidate, mostly young people under 30 years old, will have to participate in rehabilitation programs and will be fined between 500 and 700 Singapore dollars (equivalent to 388-544 US dollars or 334-468 euros).
If they persist in consumption or fail to comply with the program, penalties will be progressively intensified, potentially reaching up to two years in prison.
In Singapore, vaping has been banned since 2018, and according to current regulations, possessing, using, or acquiring vaporizers can result in a maximum fine of 2,000 Singapore dollars (more than 1,550 US dollars or about 1,340 euros).
With these measures, the Asian city-state is toughening its policy in the fight against vape consumption, in a context where other countries are also increasing their restrictions.
