Youth seen stumbling & lying on ground at Serangoon MRT station due to suspected vape use

A youth was seen stumbling along a travelator at Serangoon MRT station on Aug. 13 before falling onto the ground and lying there.

After clips of the incident were circulated online, his actions sparked speculation that the youth had been using Kpods, which is a street term for etomidate-laced vapes.

Puffed out smoke before falling on ground: Eyewitness

An eyewitness told 8world that the incident took place between the Circle Line and North East Line sections of Serangoon MRT at around 4:40pm.

The eyewitness claimed to have seen the youth puffing out "white smoke" on a travelator before falling over.

In one clip, the youth was seen walking unsteadily while exiting the travelator.

He then fell backwards onto the ground.

Another clip showed commuters walking past the youth, who was lying at the foot of the travelator.

Two passersby were seen approaching the youth to check on him.

They asked him if he was alright, and the youth replied "okay" as he tried to sit up.

No, you can't vape on MRT

This follows a similar incident where a 17-year-old teenager who was seen hobbling and falling on a MRT train was later found to have a vape and pod on him.

On Aug. 1, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the teen was assisting in investigations.

On Aug. 18, SMRT indicated in a Facebook post that station staff have been giving reminders to passengers that vaping is illegal in Singapore and is strictly banned on public transport.

"We enforce a zero-tolerance policy and will not hesitate to report offenders to the relevant authorities," SMRT wrote.

Potential harmful effects of Kpods

Kpods have emerged as a public health concern after videos showed users turning into "zombies" and behaving erratically.

Etomidate is listed as a poison under the Poisons Act 1938.

It is typically used for general anaesthesia and is administered intravenously.

According to HSA, side effects of etomidate consumption include nausea, vomiting, uncontrollable spasms and shivering.

Inhaling etomidate can also result in psychiatric symptoms like mood swings and increased impulsivity, in turn potentially leading to suicide attempts, aggression and other dangerous acts.

Medically, inhaled etomidate can also cause hypertension, generate excessive levels of the male sex hormone, altered consciousness slow response and dizziness.

What is Singapore doing?

Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung announced on Jul. 20 that etomidate will soon be listed as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, which means that offenders may face jail term and caning.

Vape disposal bins were introduced in neighbourhoods on Jul. 25, encouraging vape users to dispose of their e-vaporisers under anonymity before the law catches up with them.

In the first five months of the year, there were also 21 cases of unnatural deaths where etomidate was found in the biological samples of the deceased, the health authority said.

Eight of the 21 cases involved victims under the age of 30.

In his 2025 National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Singapore will take tougher action against vaping and treat it like a "drug issue" with stiffer penalties.

"This means jail sentences and more severe punishments for those who sell vapes with harmful substances," said PM Wong.

On Aug. 13, a 41-year-old man became the first in Singapore to be convicted of manufacturing Kpods, which he admitted to doing in his home in Yishun.

HSA prosecutors sought a total of 12 to 15 months' imprisonment for him, and he will be sentenced at a later date.

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