Over 4,000 cases of vaping from 2023 to 2024, 1 case involved parent reporting child

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) received about 4,000 to 5,000 cases involving possession or usage of e-vaporisers from the Singapore Police Force over the past two years, from 2023 to 2024.

One of these cases involved a parent referring their child to the police for vaping, according to Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam on Mar. 3, in Parliament.

In this case, the offender was only issued with a warning instead of a composition fine, and referred to the Health Promotion Board (HPB) for counselling.

Rahayu was responding to a question posed by Member of Parliament (MP) Tan Wu Meng about the number of vaping cases referred to the HSA and how many of these cases stemmed from parents referring their children to the police.

Rahayu: No enforcement action will be taken against children

Rahayu added that enforcement action will not be taken against children.

For parents who are concerned that their children are vaping, they can call the HPB QuitLine for a referral to HPB’s smoking and vaping cessation service, she said.

In response to her reply, Tan highlighted the case of a parent who discovered that their child was vaping and brought their child to the nearest police station.

The police then referred the case to HSA, whereupon the child was issued a S$300 fine.

Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, a person caught buying, using or possessing vaping products can be fined up to S$2,000.

Tan added, "The parents were distressed and concerned and worried that this approach, however well-meant by the agencies, might discourage parents from getting their children help."

He then asked if the police will inform HSA about such cases so that the agencies can take the "appropriate approach".

Rahayu: Government takes a "very nuanced approach" to voluntary situations

In response, Rahayu said that for the particular case Tan had raised, the government was able to "remediate" the situation and address it "accordingly".

She added:

"In general, we do take a very nuanced approach with regards to voluntary situations where they (members of the public) actually want to stop vaping and where the parents actually bring their child forward.

So typically, for this kind of situations, it will be flagged to HSA, and we will then issue vaping counselling to the child and [an] institutional warning instead."

She advised parents who suspect their children are vaping to call the HPB QuitLine at 1800 438 2000 and said:

"If members are aware of certain circumstances where the parents have approached the police instead and some fines are issued, you could highlight that case to us, because indeed, what we want to do is to have a nuanced approach where we are supportive of parents who want to help their children cease vaping."

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