SINGAPORE: A foreign vlogger now in Singapore recently expressed unhappiness with not being allowed to vape. Sam Najm, who talks about the importance of investing for women, said in a TikTok video from earlier this week that within 10 minutes of landing in Singapore, she was reminded that the city-state is not for her.
Since vaping is against the law, she was forced to buy cigarettes, a habit which Ms Najm said she has been trying to quit.
“Not only that, I had to cross the entire street to be in this little cigarette hail,” she said in her video, referring to a designated area for smokers. “Which means, every single time I want to smoke, day or night, I will have to walk.”
@samnajm It’s very pretty tho
However, she admitted that this is “a very first-world problem” and that she shouldn’t be smoking at all, but said, “but also, I’m just a girl. Like, please.”
In a text overlay on her video, she wrote, “How am I gonna survive without my peach USB stick?” but admitted that Singapore is “very pretty tho.”
Most commenters on her post were none too sympathetic, asking her why she came at all and telling her that if she doesn’t like the laws, she can leave.
One explained the situation like this: “It’s our government’s way of 1) stopping secondhand smoke from harming others, 2) encouraging people to quit smoking/vaping as it’s harmful (cigarettes are also very expensive here). It’s for the good of the people since population density is very high here. It’s also partly why it’s clean in Singapore. So sorry to some of you out there if a small inconvenience like this is ‘not the vibe’.”
Another TikTok user, however, defended Ms Najm, saying, “Okay, as a Singaporean, I’m gonna defend this girl, firstly, she at least is following the rules, unlike the ones who don’t smoke in the ‘jails’ and spread their toxic air around. Secondly, she said (Singapore is) not for her, that’s an incredibly fair statement, that really doesn’t impact you.”
Singapore’s laws
In August, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in his National Day Rally speech that Singapore would start treating vaping as a drug issue and would impose stiffer penalties. Since Sept 1, etomidate, a potentially addictive anaesthetic found in some vapes, has been classified as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), and anyone caught possessing, using or purchasing any e-vaporisers will face higher penalties.
First-time offenders face fines of S$500 if under age 18 and S$700 if adults. Second-time offenders must attend a three-month rehabilitation programme. Third-time offenders will be prosecuted in court under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993, with fines up to S$2,000.
People found supplying, importing, selling, or distributing etomidate-laced vapes face even harsher penalties, including long jail terms and caning. /TISG
Read also: Seafarers warned about vaping crackdown in Singapore
