THE DIFFICULTY OF ENFORCEMENT
While the fact that all vape-related activities are illegal is known to the vapers interviewed, all of them said that they will still continue vaping even if the authorities were to tighten enforcement.
Henry said that should enforcement be stepped up, his only concern is that he “can’t get goods anymore” if suppliers become more wary.
“But I’m not really concerned that I’ll get caught, because I’m not like those people who do it so openly,” he said. “You’ll never catch me walking around and vaping freely.”
Sarah said she will just stop bringing her device out, in case she gets spot checked in public.
“Whenever I vape, it will just be in my room,” she said.
Another vaper, who is in his 20s and works in the events industry, noted that when the ban was imposed in 2018, he was not even aware of it, as nothing seemed to have changed.
“People were still able to get hold of vape in Singapore, and hence I don’t think it was effective,” he said. “So, even with the increase in enforcement, people will still find a way to smuggle or buy.”
Agreeing that clamping down on the vape issue will be challenging, MPs said that the focus should not only be on punitive measures and enforcement, but also on educating the public.
MP Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah (PAP-Jalan Besar) said that public education on vaping can include raising awareness about the health risks of vaping, implementing stricter regulations on the marketing and sale of e-vapourisers and promoting “positive social norms that discourage vaping”.
“In addition, it is essential to adopt a combination of enforcement measures, education, and support from family and friends for those trying to quit vaping,” he said.
The MPs also added that further efforts to clamp down on vaping have to be a concerted effort between public and private stakeholders.
While acknowledging that further details of the inter-agency task force have not been released by MOH, Mr Saktiandi, the Bishan-Toa Payoh MP, said he hopes to see some inter-ministry collaboration to tackle the complex issue.
“It cannot be just MOH, it needs to be a whole-of-government effort.”
For example, MOE could be involved in educating youth on the vaping issue, while sterner enforcement could come from the Ministry of Home Affairs, he suggested.
Also, platforms where online sellers thrive, such as e-commerce sites, could be notified to clamp down on those selling vapes, Mr Saktiandi added.