### News Highlights and Recent Developments **Singapore: Vaping Trends and Youth Statistics** - **Sharp Increase in Vaping Cases:** The number of offences for e-cigarette purchase, use, or possession rose 58%, from 5,000 cases in 2022 to about 7,900 cases in 2023[1](https://www.sgh.com.sg/news/patient-care/vaping-among-youth-in-singapore-the-real-damage-it-is-doing-to-their-bodies)[2](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/vaping-among-youth-in-singapore-the-real-damage-it-is-doing-to-their-bodies)[3](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853224000336). - In 2024, there were already 2,000 student cases, more than double the 900 reported in 2023[4](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/2000-cases-of-students-possessing-or-using-vapes-in-2024-up-from-900-in-2023). - In 2022, 4,916 people were caught using e-cigarettes, quadrupling 2020’s figures[5](https://www.ams.edu.sg/view-pdf.aspx?file=media%5C7262_fi_483.pdf&ofile=%5BFor+Circulation%5D+Position+Paper+on+E-cigarettes+and+Vaping+24+April+2024.pdf). - **Profile of Adolescent Offenders:** Between 2019–2023, there were 813 repeat offenders under 18 years old. These repeat youth offenders made up 25% of all under-18 offenders for e-vaporizer violations under the Health Sciences Authority[6](https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/data-on-repeated-vaping-offenders-in-schools-and-ihls-in-last-five-years-and-prevention-for-curbing-addiction). - **Prevalence Estimates:** It is estimated that 1 in 19 people in Singapore vape. Approximately half of youths know someone who vapes, and among those, the majority have 1–3 close friends who also vape[7](https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/conversations-abt-vaping). - **Support and Intervention:** The Health Promotion Board (HPB) partners with schools to deliver targeted cessation support. In 2023, 2,350 youths received counselling for smoking/vaping, with 38% reporting reduced or quit use one month after counselling[6](https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/data-on-repeated-vaping-offenders-in-schools-and-ihls-in-last-five-years-and-prevention-for-curbing-addiction). - **Exposure on Social Media:** A 2022 cross-sectional survey of young adults (age 21–40) in Singapore found 16.9% had ever used e-cigarettes, and 18.5% of social media users recalled seeing vaping-related content in the past six months[8](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36813571/). **Southeast Asia: Regional Trends in Vape Use** - **Prevalence in Adolescents:** Recent systematic reviews report current e-cigarette use among adolescents in Southeast Asia ranges from 3.3% to 11.8%. For example, in Thailand, 3.3% of adolescents are current e-cigarette users, while figures are higher in Malaysia and Indonesia (ever-users up to 32.2%)[9](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10001692/)[10](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36900893/)[11](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10105395241275226). - **Drivers of Youth Vaping:** Key factors associated with adolescent e-cigarette use include peer and parental influence, traumatic experiences, accessibility, substance use, and the powerful impact of social media promotions[9](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10001692/)[12](https://sph.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Tightening-E-Cigarette-Regulations-in-Southeast-Asia.pdf)[13](https://www.vitalstrategies.org/smoke-and-mirrors-amplifies-term-data-to-raise-alarm-on-electronic-cigarette-use-in-southeast-asia/). - Southeast Asia’s youthful population is aggressively targeted by the vape industry, with flavors, trendy designs, and online marketing seen as major draws. - **Regulatory and Policy Response:** E-cigarette regulations range from total bans (Singapore) to partial/no restrictions (some neighboring countries), affecting prevalence and enforcement outcomes[9](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10001692/)[12](https://sph.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Tightening-E-Cigarette-Regulations-in-Southeast-Asia.pdf). ### Drug-Laced Vape News: Recent Cases - **Major Bust in Malaysia Involving Singaporeans:** In June 2025, Malaysian police seized 4,958 vape cartridges suspected to contain 9.42L of cocaine, valued at US$1.7million. Three Singaporeans and one Malaysian were arrested in connection with the international smuggling ring. The syndicate had been operating since March 2024, with plans believed to involve further distribution throughout the region. One suspect tested positive for ketamine, and two had prior criminal records[14](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/us17-million-cocaine-laced-vape-raid-malaysian-police-nab-4-men-including-3-singaporeans-5200001). - **Enforcement in Singapore:** Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has intensified efforts against drug trafficking and drug-laced products, including those involving Singaporeans and cross-border syndicates[15](https://www.cnb.gov.sg/newsandevents/news)[16](https://www.cnb.gov.sg/newsandevents)[17](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/topic/drugs). Large anti-drug operations have seized significant quantities of narcotics, underscoring the persistent issue of drug-related crime. ## Key Statistics Table |**Statistic**|**Singapore**|**Southeast Asia**| |---|---|---| |Vaping offences (annual)|7,900 cases in 2023[1](https://www.sgh.com.sg/news/patient-care/vaping-among-youth-in-singapore-the-real-damage-it-is-doing-to-their-bodies)[3](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853224000336)|N/A| |Students caught with vapes (annual)|2,000 (first part of 2024)[4](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/2000-cases-of-students-possessing-or-using-vapes-in-2024-up-from-900-in-2023)|N/A| |Repeat under-18 offenders (2019–2023)|813 (25% of under-18 offenders)[6](https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/data-on-repeated-vaping-offenders-in-schools-and-ihls-in-last-five-years-and-prevention-for-curbing-addiction)|N/A| |Ever e-cigarette use (adults, 21–40y, 2022)|16.9%[8](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36813571/)|N/A| |Proportion who know someone who vapes (youth)|1 in 2 youths[7](https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/conversations-abt-vaping)|N/A| |Current e-cigarette use (adolescents, regional review)|N/A|3.3–11.8%[9](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10001692/)[10](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36900893/)[11](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10105395241275226)| |Thailand (current adolescent users)|N/A|3.3%[9](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10001692/)| |Indonesia (ever vapers, adolescents, highest reported)|N/A|32.2%[11](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10105395241275226)| |Drug-laced vape cartridges (cocaine case, Malaysia, 2025)|3 Singaporeans arrested, 4,958 cartridges[14](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/us17-million-cocaine-laced-vape-raid-malaysian-police-nab-4-men-including-3-singaporeans-5200001)|Malaysia, international distribution| ## Summary Points - Vape use is surging among adolescents in Singapore and across Southeast Asia, despite bans and tough regulations in some jurisdictions. - Peer influence, social media exposure, and targeted industry marketing drive uptake among youths. - The risk landscape is escalating, with regional smuggling syndicates pushing drug-laced vape products, leading to high-profile arrests involving Singaporean citizens. - Policymakers and health authorities continue to counter these trends with education, enforcement, and cessation support efforts. 1. [https://www.sgh.com.sg/news/patient-care/vaping-among-youth-in-singapore-the-real-damage-it-is-doing-to-their-bodies](https://www.sgh.com.sg/news/patient-care/vaping-among-youth-in-singapore-the-real-damage-it-is-doing-to-their-bodies) 2. [https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/vaping-among-youth-in-singapore-the-real-damage-it-is-doing-to-their-bodies](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/vaping-among-youth-in-singapore-the-real-damage-it-is-doing-to-their-bodies) 3. [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853224000336](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853224000336) 4. [https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/2000-cases-of-students-possessing-or-using-vapes-in-2024-up-from-900-in-2023](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/2000-cases-of-students-possessing-or-using-vapes-in-2024-up-from-900-in-2023) 5. [https://www.ams.edu.sg/view-pdf.aspx?file=media\7262_fi_483.pdf&ofile=[For+Circulation]+Position+Paper+on+E-cigarettes+and+Vaping+24+April+2024.pdf](https://www.ams.edu.sg/view-pdf.aspx?file=media%5C7262_fi_483.pdf&ofile=%5BFor+Circulation%5D+Position+Paper+on+E-cigarettes+and+Vaping+24+April+2024.pdf) 6. [https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/data-on-repeated-vaping-offenders-in-schools-and-ihls-in-last-five-years-and-prevention-for-curbing-addiction](https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/data-on-repeated-vaping-offenders-in-schools-and-ihls-in-last-five-years-and-prevention-for-curbing-addiction) 7. [https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/conversations-abt-vaping](https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/conversations-abt-vaping) 8. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36813571/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36813571/) 9. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10001692/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10001692/) 10. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36900893/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36900893/) 11. [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10105395241275226](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10105395241275226) 12. [https://sph.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Tightening-E-Cigarette-Regulations-in-Southeast-Asia.pdf](https://sph.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Tightening-E-Cigarette-Regulations-in-Southeast-Asia.pdf) 13. [https://www.vitalstrategies.org/smoke-and-mirrors-amplifies-term-data-to-raise-alarm-on-electronic-cigarette-use-in-southeast-asia/](https://www.vitalstrategies.org/smoke-and-mirrors-amplifies-term-data-to-raise-alarm-on-electronic-cigarette-use-in-southeast-asia/) 14. [https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/us17-million-cocaine-laced-vape-raid-malaysian-police-nab-4-men-including-3-singaporeans-5200001](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/us17-million-cocaine-laced-vape-raid-malaysian-police-nab-4-men-including-3-singaporeans-5200001) 15. [https://www.cnb.gov.sg/newsandevents/news](https://www.cnb.gov.sg/newsandevents/news) 16. [https://www.cnb.gov.sg/newsandevents](https://www.cnb.gov.sg/newsandevents) 17. [https://www.channelnewsasia.com/topic/drugs](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/topic/drugs) 18. [https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/vape-vaping-cna-explains-hsa-moe-moh-4519186](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/vape-vaping-cna-explains-hsa-moe-moh-4519186) 19. [https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/82-people-nabbed-after-anti-drug-bust-more-than-132k-worth-of-drugs-seized](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/82-people-nabbed-after-anti-drug-bust-more-than-132k-worth-of-drugs-seized) 20. [https://www.myheart.org.sg/heart-news/public-health-at-risk-as-e-cigarettes-gain-popularity-among-youth/](https://www.myheart.org.sg/heart-news/public-health-at-risk-as-e-cigarettes-gain-popularity-among-youth/)