Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has defended Singapore’s ban on vapes, responding to public questions on why cigarettes remain legal while vaping is prohibited.
“There is an impression that vapes appear to be less harmful than cigarettes. But actually, it’s not,” Ong said.
He explained that while cigarettes are consumed stick by stick — with some smokers stopping once a stick is finished — vape pods can last a whole day or longer, increasing the risk of continuous use.
According to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), tests on seized pods showed that one pod can contain as much nicotine as four packets of cigarettes.
“For someone who keeps vaping the whole day and finishes a pod, you have taken in the equivalent of four packets of cigarettes,” Ong said.
“So this whole idea that we shouldn’t ban it because we didn’t ban cigarettes is not true. It was correct to have banned vapes from the outset.”
The minister added that smoking rates among young people in Singapore are low, but the introduction of vapes has led some to pick up the habit.
“I’m very sure that without vaping, young people wouldn’t be smoking. It’s just not cool for them, and it smells,” he said.
From 1 September 2025, Singapore will enforce tougher penalties on the use and supply of e-vaporisers and Kpods, following the reclassification of etomidate and its analogues as Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
The new measures include caning for traffickers, as well as higher fines and mandatory rehabilitation for youth offenders.
Netizens Question Ong’s Logic
Ong’s comments sparked a wave of criticism online, with more than 700 responses posted across platforms such as Reddit and CNA’s Facebook page.
Many netizens criticised what they saw as flawed reasoning in banning vapes while continuing to allow cigarettes.
Some pointed to Ong’s remark that smokers stop after one cigarette stick, asking if he was unaware of chain smoking.
They noted that smokers can continue lighting up one stick after another.
One user commented sarcastically, “Might as well say smoking weed is better since it’s organic and has no nicotine.”
“I would have expected a better explanation from the Health Minister,” one user wrote.
Another suggested that Ong could have offered a stronger rationale, such as highlighting how cigarette producers are required to clearly state the ingredients in their products, whereas vapes are not — making it easier for illegal substances to be added.
Some users suggested that the reason the government would not ban cigarettes is the significant tax revenue they generate.
In 2024, Singapore Customs reported collecting $1.1 billion in tobacco duties.
Calls for Regulation Instead of Prohibition
Several users argued that regulation, rather than prohibition, would be more effective.
“Banning vapes will see a sharp increase in cigarette smokers, including old ones going back to cigarettes,” one comment read.
“We should regulate vapes and pods just like cigarettes instead.”
Another user questioned whether the current situation could have been avoided if regulation had been introduced earlier.
The user noted that cigarettes can also be laced with drugs, yet with legal alternatives available, the black market did not flourish in the same way.
“If it was regulated from day one, I believe the prevalence of Kpods and vapes would be far less,” the user added.
‘Politically Sound but Scientifically Superficial’
One user commented that Ong’s defence of Singapore’s vape ban “sounds politically sound, but it is also scientifically superficial.”
The user agreed that vapes are attractive to young people and that nicotine levels in some pods are high, making addiction a real concern.
However, the user argued that Ong’s focus on nicotine overlooked the fact that the most harmful elements of cigarettes are tar, carbon monoxide, and other combustion by-products — substances avoided in vaping.
The user noted that this is why countries such as the UK and New Zealand classify vapes as less harmful alternatives.
“By equating nicotine quantity with overall harm, Ong disregards readily available research,” the comment continued.
The user also dismissed Ong’s claim that smokers stop after one stick as unrealistic: “Many smokers chain-smoke several sticks in a row. Likewise, not every vaper empties a pod in a day. It’s a caricature, not evidence.”
The user added that Singapore’s approach overlooks adults who use vaping as a harm-reduction tool.
“Public health policy shouldn’t just reassure — it should reflect the full body of evidence.”
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