Kpod Epidemic

The Kpod epidemic refers to the surge in Singapore of e-vaporisers laced with drugs, primarily the anaesthetic agent etomidate, and the sweeping enforcement and legislative response that followed. The term "Kpod" emerged from youth slang, with social service agencies such as Care Corner and Fei Yue Community Services reporting that they first heard it in youth discussions in August 2024.

The crisis prompted one of Singapore's most significant drug policy shifts in recent years. Etomidate was listed as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act from 1 September 2025, and the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act, which took effect on 1 May 2026, introduced mandatory jail terms and caning for those who import or supply drug-laced vapes.

Is vaping illegal in Singapore?

Vaping has been illegal in Singapore since 2018, when the import, sale, possession and use of e-vaporisers were banned. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) first detected etomidate-laced vape pods in March 2024.

When did Kpods emerge in Singapore?

Etomidate is a prescription-only anaesthetic approved for intravenous use during clinical procedures, and was originally regulated under the Poisons Act. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in July 2025 that about one third of vape devices seized and tested in enforcement operations were found to contain etomidate, and confirmed that several deaths in Singapore had been connected to etomidate abuse. Online sellers were reported to be marketing Kpods as undetectable in standard urine drug screenings, although the authorities stated that etomidate can be detected in users' urine.

Teen spotted laying on the floor of Serangoon MRT after taking a puff of the etomidate-laced vape. Photo from Instagram.

The crisis came to light when Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) first detected etomidate-laced vapes ("Kpods") back in March 2024. Reports indicate that about one in three vapes confiscated in Singapore have been found to contain etomidate. Other drugs, such as ketamine, have also been detected in these devices.

What are the health and behavioral effects of Kpods?

When inhaled through vapes, etomidate can cause seizures, breathing difficulties, psychosis and muscle spasms. Users have been reported to exhibit trance-like or "zombie-style" states, with some collapsing in public places. Long-term abuse has been associated with lasting cognitive harm. The trend caused particular alarm because of its spread among adolescents, with users as young as 12 reported. Short-term effects include blank stares, tremors, seizures, and the risk of a fatal overdose. Long-term use of these substances can lead to lasting cognitive impairment, including memory loss, psychosis, and permanent brain damage.

Affected demographics

The Kpod trend has been particularly alarming due to its spread among adolescents, with users as young as 12 reported. These vapes are often incorrectly perceived as being less harmful than other drugs and are thought to be undetectable in standard drug tests.

Government response to the Kpod epidemic

In response to the growing crisis, the Singapore government has taken a firm stance, announcing a series of policy changes and enforcement measures.

Poisons Act phase (2024 to August 2025)

Etomidate was initially controlled as a poison, meaning a licence was required for its importation and sale. During this phase, those supplying etomidate-containing pods faced up to two years' jail and a fine of up to S$10,000 under the Poisons Act. The Ministry of Health said in 2024 that five cases of e-vaporisers containing etomidate had been detected from samples sent for testing.

Reclassification under the Misuse of Drugs Act (September 2025)

Following Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's remarks on vaping at the 2025 National Day Rally, Ong announced on 24 August 2025 that etomidate would be listed as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act from 1 September 2025. The listing was framed as an interim measure to give authorities stronger enforcement and rehabilitation powers while a tougher permanent framework was prepared.

The reclassification carried significant consequences. Those convicted of selling and distributing Kpods became liable to between two and 10 years' jail and two to five strokes of the cane, while importers faced three to 20 years' jail and five to 15 strokes. The Act's rehabilitation regime also allowed users found to be dependent to be committed to a drug rehabilitation centre for up to 12 months. The Ministry of Health later confirmed that the MDA listing of etomidate and its analogues was extended until 30 April 2026 to facilitate the transition, after which they were delisted from the MDA and brought under the new vaping law on 1 May 2026.

In Parliament on 22 September 2025, Senior Minister of State Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim highlighted that under Section 8A of the Misuse of Drugs Act, Singaporeans and permanent residents who use Kpods overseas can be prosecuted in Singapore as if the offence had been committed locally. He also reported that between 15 September 2024 and 14 September 2025, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) intercepted 76 large-scale vape smuggling attempts at checkpoints and 57 attempts via postal channels, that the Central Narcotics Bureau had dismantled a syndicate dealing in etomidate-laced vapes and arrested eight members, and that more than 10,000 officers had been empowered to conduct anti-vaping enforcement. About 6,000 vapes and components were surrendered through the "Bin The Vape" campaign between 25 July and 31 August 2025.

Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act (May 2026)

On 6 March 2026, Parliament passed the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Amendment) and Other Matters Bill, renaming the Act as the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act 1993 (TVCA) with effect from 1 May 2026. The TVCA created a new category of "Specified Psychoactive Substances" (SPS), with etomidate and its analogues listed in a new schedule from 1 May 2026 and simultaneously delisted from the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Penalties for SPS products largely mirror the previous MDA regime: suppliers face two to 10 years' jail and two to five strokes of the cane, importers face three to 20 years' jail and five to 15 strokes, and those who possess, purchase or consume SPS face a fine of up to S$20,000, up to 10 years' jail, or both. It remains an offence for Singapore citizens and permanent residents to consume SPS overseas. Adults who involve young or vulnerable persons in importing or supplying SPS products face four to 20 years' jail and four to 15 strokes of the cane, and those who arrange gatherings where SPS products are used or supplied face two to 10 years' jail and up to five strokes.

Penalties for ordinary vaping offences were also raised sharply. The maximum fine for possession, purchase or use of vapes increased from S$2,000 to S$10,000, importers face mandatory imprisonment of up to nine years and fines of up to S$300,000, and suppliers face mandatory imprisonment of up to six years and fines of up to S$200,000. Entertainment venues such as discotheques, pubs, bars, lounges and nightclubs are required to act against patrons found possessing or using vapes on their premises. The Chief Executive of HSA was also empowered to order community-based or institutional rehabilitation for SPS consumption, including urine or hair testing of those under rehabilitation orders. Those who voluntarily seek help through the QuitVape Programme do not face penalties or an offence record for coming forward.

Enforcement and K-pod prosecutions

In a landmark early case, a man was sentenced in August 2025 to 16 months' jail for manufacturing and selling etomidate-laced Kpods, reported as the first conviction of its kind in Singapore.There has been an increase in enforcement operations to seize illegal vapes and an ongoing public education campaign led by the government and various agencies. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has also launched a "Bin the Vape" initiative to encourage users to surrender their devices voluntarily.

Enforcement intensified after the September 2025 reclassification. In October 2025, an 18-year-old and a 26-year-old were separately charged with trafficking Kpods within days of each other. In January 2026, a 26-year-old man was charged after being found with Kpods during an enforcement operation in Geylang, and a 30-year-old man was charged with trafficking after 1,989 Kpods were found in a car he was driving into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint with his mother and four-month-old niece on board, which HSA described as its largest haul since the reclassification at the time.

In May 2026, two Malaysians in their 20s became the first persons charged with importing Kpods under the TVCA, after 12,273 pods worth more than S$800,000 were found hidden in 161 parcels in their car at Woodlands Checkpoint. HSA described it as the largest haul of illegally imported Kpods to date, and the pair face between three and 20 years' jail if convicted.

In June 2026, four Singaporean men were charged for allegedly being part of what HSA described as the first suspected transnational Kpod supply syndicate investigated under the TVCA, linked to the May importation case. A total of 1,111 Kpods with an estimated street value of more than S$83,000 were seized during two of the arrests, along with more than S$6,000 in cash, and two vehicles were impounded.

In July 2026, a 24-year-old man was charged with importing Kpods after ICA officers found two e-vaporisers and 100 pods hidden in his car at Woodlands Checkpoint on 30 June; laboratory tests confirmed the pods contained etomidate.

Death of Low Hui Mei

Muhammad Sabriee Mohd Tahar arriving at the State Courts on 7 August 2025. Photo from Channel News Asia.

On 16 May 2026, Low Hui Mei, a 25-year-old woman facing Kpod trafficking charges, was found dead in a hotel room along Lorong 8 Geylang. Her lawyer said she died of cardiopulmonary failure, and police said preliminary investigations did not suggest foul play. Low had been arrested in October 2025, when 11 vapes and 101 pods later confirmed to contain etomidate were seized from her, and had been due to plead guilty to Misuse of Drugs Act offences in June 2026. The charges were abated following her death, and a Coroner's Inquiry into the circumstances was fixed for 9 July 2026.

Timeline of the Kpod epidemic in Singapore

Date	Event	Sources
2018	Import, sale, possession and use of e-vaporisers banned in Singapore.
March 2024	HSA first detects etomidate-laced vape pods.
August 2024	Social service agencies report first hearing the term "Kpod" from youths.
July 2025	Ong Ye Kung reveals about one in three seized vapes tested contain etomidate; several deaths linked to etomidate abuse.
25 July to 31 August 2025	"Bin The Vape" campaign collects about 6,000 vapes and components.
24 August 2025	Ong announces etomidate will be listed as a Class C controlled drug.
1 September 2025	Etomidate listing under the Misuse of Drugs Act takes effect; trafficking and importation of Kpods attract jail and caning.
22 September 2025	Parliament told Singaporeans and PRs using Kpods overseas can be prosecuted locally under Section 8A.
October 2025	First wave of trafficking charges after reclassification; Low Hui Mei among those arrested.
20 to 22 January 2026	1,989 Kpods seized at Woodlands Checkpoint, then the largest haul since reclassification; driver charged with trafficking.
6 March 2026	Parliament passes the TVCA amendments.
1 May 2026	TVCA takes effect; etomidate listed as a Specified Psychoactive Substance.
6 to 15 May 2026	12,273 Kpods worth over S$800,000 seized at Woodlands Checkpoint; two Malaysians become the first charged with importation under the TVCA.
16 May 2026	Low Hui Mei found dead in a Geylang hotel room.
30 June 2026	Four Singaporean men charged over the first suspected transnational Kpod syndicate investigated under the TVCA.
2 July 2026	Man charged with importing Kpods after 100 pods found in his car at Woodlands Checkpoint.
9 July 2026	Coroner's Inquiry into Low Hui Mei's death held.