A country with some of the toughest drug laws in the world is cracking down on a new trend. It combines vaping with a sedative. And itʻs got authorities scrambling to respond.
Singapore has a drug problem. It's related to vaping, and cartridges laced with the sedative etomidate, which is generally used with anesthesia. The habit is popular in parts of Southeast Asia and East Asia. In Hong Kong, it is called “space oil.”
But in Singapore, the cartridges are known as “K-pods," because they have a similar effect to the drug ketamine. Authorities have been alarmed at the speed of its spread.
Vaping of any kind has been illegal in Singapore since 2018. This week, penalties are going up.
First-time users caught with vapes of any kind will be fined the equivalent of nearly US$400 for those under 18, and nearly US$600 for adults.
Penalties are stiffer for dealers. And anyone convicted of importing the vapes laced with this drug can face up to 20 years in prison — 10 times the previous maximum sentence — plus 15 strokes with a rattan cane.
Foreigners working in Singapore who break this law can lose their residency and work permits, be deported and banned from re-entry.
For anyone caught with a drugged vape, the first step is rehabilitation, a six-month program that is mandatory.
