Why Singapore is going all-in on a war against vapes - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service

Singapore is known for tough drug laws, which include the death penalty, and recently the government's biggest target has been vaping. If you come to Singapore, you might see this sort of ad. What if I told you, there's an evil out there. that doesn't chase you but steals your breath. What if I told you. This isn't a movie? Vapes have long been banned here, but the presence of some vapes with drugs. in them prompted authorities to get a lot tougher.

Specifically, etomidate, an anaesthetic agent, usually used in hospitals. If you get caught trafficking a vape with that type of substance in it, you could be jailed or even caned. But vaping in general is now strictly outlawed, with fines, mandatory rehabilitation programmes. and a potential criminal record as deterrent. It's a very determined crackdown, but is it proportionate to the problem? Is Singapore leading a broader trend in the region?

I'm Mariko Oi in Singapore and this is Asia Specific from the BBC World Service. Twice a week we bring you Asia Pacific stories. unpacked by those who know them best. And today I have Derek Cai from our Asia Specific podcast team. I also have Tessa Wong, who's a senior journalist. with the BBC's news website. Welcome both. Hi. Thank you. So you're both from Singapore.

So let's introduce Singapore's stance on drugs to viewers and listeners. who might not be familiar because it's quite strict. It's one of the strictest in the world, isn't it, Tessa? Yeah. That's right. We're famously known for our zero tolerance on drugs. What that means. is that drugs that could be possibly acceptable in some countries, like weed, marijuana, that's not allowed in Singapore either. And that also comes with harsh penalties, especially if you get caught trafficking in it. And famously, Singapore has capital punishment.

We execute people for crimes. And that also applies to drug traffickers. So, you know, every year or every other year, you know, you will find cases of Singapore executing drug traffickers. That's how serious we are. And the latest target has been vapes with drugs in them. But let's talk about how vaping became so popular. because, Derek, you used to smoke cigarettes. and then vaping suddenly kind of took off, didn't it? Not just in Asia, but around the world. So tell us why that was. Um, yeah, I used to smoke.

I don't anymore because I don't like the smell on me, the cigarette smell on me. That's one of the reasons why a lot of my friends who used to smoke turned. to vapes because they don't like the, like when vaping came about, you know, it's popular because it's got fruity flavours. It's got fun flavours. And your fingers don't smell like smoke. Your clothes don't smell like smoke. You don't have to step out of your house. or building just to get a hit of nicotine. So that's why a lot of my friends turn to vape. Interestingly, a lot of them, some, not a lot, of them,

but some of them eventually quit vaping, even before this harsh crackdown that Singapore has enforced, because they said that they realised they vaped. a lot more than they used to smoke. So they consumed a lot, a lot more nicotine at home because, you know, you can do it from the comfort of your own couch, right? You don't have to leave the building. It's a lot more accessible. It's like, you know, when you're on a diet, you don't want to. have snacks at home. Singapore banned vaping back in 2018.

What was the reason behind that, Tessa? So at that time, the official rationale that they gave was that, look, the jury is out on whether vaping is bad for you long term, but we're not going to take any chances. We're going to ban it first. And that's a very typical Singaporean approach, a Singaporean government approach. You know, when in doubt, you know, let's stop. Let's think about it and let's prevent it first. before we can figure out what to do with it. So in 2018, were they already talking about vapes with drugs in them, or were they just simply banning vaping just as a as a precautionary measure?

The latter. Back then, you know, vapes with drugs, that wasn't a phenomenon that, you know, the way that we've seen it now globally, not just in Singapore. Back then it was just purely on the science. and the medical science of vapes or vaping and its effect on human health. So at that time, you know, there was still a lot of discussion about. whether it's actually worse than cigarette smoking. Uh, and whether, you know, intrinsically, it could also harm your health.

And back then, the science and the research wasn't the same as what we've seen now. I think the prevailing theory is that it's still inconclusive. in some countries and even to the World Health Organisation, right? Because it's such an emerging technology and. we don't know what the long term effects of vapes are. It could be worse than cigarettes. We don't know that. There has been more research that has kind of shown. that there could be long term health effects caused by vaping. Um, you know, it's not like vaping is completely clean. No matter what the vaping industry,

might want to portray, uh, there are side effects to that. And so the WHO, the US CDC, you know, these health authorities have said that there are some side effects. and health effects of vaping. Um, to them, I think they they both say that there needs to be. more long term research on whether, you know, this is actually harmful. in itself. But Singapore has made up its mind. It's really just said that it is more harmful or as harmful as cigarettes.

We're going to stop it. But then why don't they ban cigarettes as well? If we're talking about, if they're worried about nicotine addiction and the impact on health. So I think someone has asked the health minister this question a few months ago. His answer was, you know, basically. what the Singapore government has been saying in the last few months, which is that to them, they believe vaping is a lot more addictive. than cigarette smoking, you know, which is what you were saying, right? Because, you know, you can be puffing away on your vape all day and you.

wouldn't have realised that you've kind of puffed away at maybe 20 times more. than what you have normally smoked if you were going through cigarettes. So that was the rationale. But I also think, you know, in that answer, that's the official answer, you can kind of see how the Singapore government has kind of accepted, as has every country in the world, that cigarette smoking is a vice that is here to stay. And when you've got a vice like that, that is so, you know, baked. into society and societal habits, if you try to ban it completely,

you're just going to end up driving it underground. What's happened is vaping has become a drug issue for Singapore, and that is a red line for the Singapore government, as you say, as we as we talked about earlier, you know, it's a zero tolerance policy towards drugs in Singapore. And so when you've got drugs involved, they've got to go hard on it as well. That's their rationale. You know we've also got, you know, really harsh penalties that have been rolled out. including caning in some very rare instances, for people who get caught smuggling in vapes with drugs.

So you mentioned caning. That's a very foreign concept to many. of our viewers and listeners who aren't familiar with the rules in Singapore. Can you just tell us a bit more about that? So caning in Singapore is basically flogging. They use a very large rattan cane, and they use it to whip the buttocks of a convict. And it can be quite painful. And that's usually reserved for the gravest of punishments in Singapore, which is, you know, among them is drug trafficking.

So we're talking about when it comes to vaping, we're talking about trafficking, selling of those drugs laced vapes that would potentially result. in caning by the authorities. How are local Singaporeans, especially those who shifted. to vaping from smoking cigarettes? How have they been reacting to this crackdown on vaping, Derek? Yeah. I spoke to a lot of them, and, uh, some of them have quit vaping post crackdown.

2025 crackdown because they think. that it's way too much trouble to get vapes now. and they don't want to seem like renegades on the streets. Some I've spoken to say that they are adamant about not quitting and have. really, really strong opinions about why the government is doing this. because, well, two things. One, a lot of them ask why did they not just enforce this crackdown properly. in 2018, which is the question I want to ask you, Tessa, what your assessment is. And second, they don't like the idea of being grouped together.

with people who smoke drug-laced vapes, which is a really small population, small percentage of the population of people who vape in Singapore. What's been the reaction from Singaporeans, especially people who started vaping, shifting from smoking a cigarette, as you mentioned. I spoke to one of them and who agreed to be interviewed, and this is what he said. In this country, we have so few luxuries already, you know what I mean?

And to me, vaping is just another nicotine product, just like cigarettes and all that. It's one of the few luxuries that I choose to have, you know, and I don't think it's right for the government to strong arm me into quitting this. You know, I compare vaping and smoking. I feel like vaping is better for me. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to think for myself and not let the government dictate what I can and cannot do. I don't think it should be illegal in that sense. You know, they are forcing it on us and I don't like it.

It's lazy. This blanket ban on vapes. You allow cigarettes, but you don't allow vapes. And they did a very poor job of addressing why they did this, you know. So the fact that you had to blur his face and change his voice, that's not something we would have had to do to a vaper. in any other country but Singapore. But it's also making me wonder how does he get hold. of a vape in Singapore, especially since that crackdown. Look. Like any other vice that you ban in the country, whether it's Singapore or Thailand or Malaysia,

once you ban something, you drive it underground. People can still find things that they want to find. I spoke to a supplier and I asked the supplier. if it's been more difficult getting vapes into Singapore and. and they said that it's not and they're just being a lot more careful now. So I guess this these suppliers are. where these people are getting their vapes from. Is such an underground market common in Singapore.

with vapes or with any other drugs. Common, as in? Like, can you get drugs. in Singapore even though it has the capital punishment? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think it's been a well known fact that you can always get drugs. And periodically they do drug busts in Singapore. Yeah. So it always shows it's a vice still. Right. So you can still get it. But I guess the way, you know, in terms of like drug culture, the way it's perceived. in the mainstream in Singapore, it's very different from, say, other countries which have more relaxed views of it.

And that's because of this very sort of like active suppression and, you know, strict rules on drugs in Singapore. I have a question for you, Tessa. Do you think, what's your assessment on. why did the government not enforce the ban in 2018? Why now? Yeah. I think it's quite clear what's happened. You know, back then they basically said. that, you know, they made it clear at that point of time. that they're not really sure whether vaping is bad, right?

So we're just going to ban it as a precaution first. And I think from what we could see, you know, how it played out in the following years was that they seemed to, you know, basically not be cracking down very hard on it. You know, we talked about it right before taping this show. Um, you know, I would have seen people vaping on the streets. Um, maybe not like, very openly, but you could definitely see people vaping. And you know, it wasn't such a taboo thing. But now what's happened is that, you know, drugs have entered the picture.

Drugs have actually entered these devices. And so when they say we're going to treat it as a drug issue, that's why they've decided to clamp down so hard on it. And then there's the the debate between regulating and banning, right? Because when you ban it, you drive things underground. That's when drugs find their way into these pods. Because if you had regulated it from the start and only regulated suppliers. or shops can sell it, then you will be able to know. what are the ingredients that go into the pods.

And the Singapore government has really put a lot of effort into, I guess, shifting the Singaporeans mindset when it comes to vaping, haven't they? We want to show some of those posters that are everywhere in Singapore now. on a public transport, movie theaters and so on. And for those listening, this one shows a guy on a hospital bed. with tubes coming out of him with a line final destination ICU and. another one says Breaking Dad.

A play on a show, Breaking Bad about drugs. And I remember this one, Derek, because I first saw it on a bus with my child. And it's a very kind of horrific looking, you know, scary looking father in dark, kind of red and blue, almost trying to give a very dramatic effect to people, commuters who are actually looking at those posters. Yeah. Very dramatic. I mean, very dramatic, but I think also very smart. And I think it also tells you the demographic.

that the government is trying to, um, get to. because danger things, at play on the. on the show, stranger things, breaking dad, and uh, Final destination like these are all shows that, um, pop culture. Exactly. Millennials we all watch. And Gen Zs. So it's, it's very telling of who. who the government is trying to reach with these messages. But for me and I guess for you also, Tessa, we grew up having that message embedded into us.

from a very young age that drugs are bad, right? So I find it dramatic and smart, but not entirely unusual for the Singapore government. When it comes to vaping. Singapore isn't actually alone, is it, in terms of banning it? So, Derek, can you just talk us through. what other governments in Asia are doing. In Thailand and Vietnam, it's banned, but even though it's banned,

you can still find vapes in those countries because it's not enforced. Well, there are varying degrees of enforcement in those countries. In Indonesia, it's not ban at all. In Malaysia, funnily enough, right after Singapore's crackdown on vaping last year in 2025, uh, the intense enforcement a couple of weeks later, Malaysia came out to say. that by 2026, they want to phase out all vapes. And, I had a friend who just went to JB, Johor, the nearest state to to Singapore, where a lot of Singaporeans go to,

he said that you can't find vapes. in 7-Eleven or convenience stores anymore. But he still saw people vaping on the streets. So I guess it's not just Singapore, but a lot of Asian governments. have decided that vaping isn't good for people's health. and therefore trying to ban it, or at least regulate it. But do you think this kind of campaign, especially in Singapore, do you think it's sustainable because all these ads, all these raids, you know,

and everything else that can't be that cheap. So how much longer do you think the Singapore government would keep doing this? I mean, that's the question. I mean, I personally believe that. once the heat sort of dies down a bit, it's going to be something. that you will still see happening, you know, on the fringes, on the sides. You know, just this weekend I saw someone vaping. I was driving you know, through an industrial area, and I saw someone just vaping outside his office building. It was a Saturday, so maybe he felt that no one was going to see him.

You saw someone too, right? Yeah. So I was just going to say, I think, like you, it's never been about eradicating vapes. Um, at least that's my opinion. It's about. minimalising people who vape. And since the enforcement last year, I want to say around August? Was it September? September? For a couple of months I saw no one vaping on the streets. But today, coming back from lunch to the office, I saw someone vaping openly out in public and I was shocked. Not because of someone vaping. I was shocked because, you know, I thought the crackdown.

was still happening, but I guess it's sort of subsided a little bit. Yeah. I mean, in September they even launched a hotline. where people can call in if they saw vaper, I don't know, and then they reportedly received thousands of reports. Then I don't know if people are actively dobbing people. in now the way that they might have. But I think the whole idea, anyway, was to kind of just drum in the message. into the population to get it into our minds that it is bad and so don't do it. I think Singapore can do it well, only because like, it's small, it's got a very socially engineered public.

But in places like Thailand, Malaysia, I'm not sure if they can properly enforce it. I mean, it's not that hard also because Singapore has already a lot. of rules and regulations, right? We ban a lot of drugs. We get very tough on all these things. So it's just one more thing to add to the list. But I think all the sort of. like day to day policing that they have been doing since September, that takes up a lot of effort and resources that we might see less of. It's going to be a lot more of the sort of like step back state kind of.

policing that we're going to see going forward. That's my take anyway. I mean, that's why we saw people vaping out in public. Yeah. And I think people kind of twig on to that as well. Yeah. Well, as you say, if there's one country which can enforce this ban. and strict penalties on vaping, it will be Singapore and we'll see whether other countries would follow. Thank you both, Derek and Tessa. Thank you. Thank you. You've been watching Asia Specific from the BBC World Service. with me Mariko Oi in Singapore. If you have any questions or thoughts on what we've covered in this episode.

or any other stories from the region, please leave us a comment below. You can also get in touch with us on email at AsiaSpecific@bbc.co.uk. and click like and subscribe so you never miss an episode. See you next time. Bye.