Vape

It’s easy to treat your vape device like a friend. But not all friendships make life more meaningful — some are simply toxic. Read on to find out how vape is a toxic friend you don’t need.

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Vapes

Learn more about the common mistruths of vaping.

You may have heard of them before, but did you know that they are false?

False!

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that vapes are harmful to health and not safer than regular cigarettes.

Studies show that vaping generates toxic substances, some of which are known to cause cancer and increase the risk of heart and lung disorders. For example, Vitamin E acetate found in some vapes is strongly linked to lung injury, such as pneumothorax (collapsed lungs).

Nicotine in e-cigarettes can also impact brain development in young people, affecting their ability to manage attention and learning, mood and impulse control1. It can also adversely affect the development of the foetus in pregnant women2.

Based on vapes seized by HSA in Singapore, the nicotine consumed from 1 vape pod is equivalent to about 3 to 4 cigarette packs. With vape manufacturers putting more nicotine into vapes over the years, these risks as well as that of nicotine addiction are greatly increased3.

Emissions can also pose risks to bystanders. Bystanders may experience irritation of the respiratory tract as a result of exposure to fine particulate matter, like propylene glycol and glycerol4.

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, May 15) Why Youth Vape. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, May 15) Health Effects of Vaping. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/health-effects.html

3 World Health Organization. (n.d.). TECHNICAL NOTE ON Call to action on electronic cigarettes. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/tobacco-hq/regulating-tobacco-products/ends-call-to-action-background.pdf?sfvrsn=7dd2856e_11&download=true

4 Visser, W. F., Klerx, W. N., Cremers, H. W. J. M., Ramlal, R., Schwillens, P. L., & Talhout, R. (2019, April 30). The Health Risks of Electronic Cigarette Use to Bystanders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(9), 1525. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6539638/

Don't believe that!

Ingredients in vape e-liquids may vary widely between different manufacturers, and can contain harmful, toxic chemicals.

Some commonly found ingredients5 include:

Nicotine

  • found in pesticides
  • can cause harmful side effects, which include decreased appetite, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, nausea, and even diarrhoea in extreme cases
  • can impact brain development in youth, affecting their ability to manage attention and learning, mood and impulse control1

Benzene

  • found in car exhaust fumes, fuels and detergents
  • can cause infertility and leukaemia with long-term exposure

Formaldehyde

  • used as an embalming fluid and in adhesives for wood
  • known to cause cancer and infertility

Diacetyl

  • a food flavouring agent
  • can cause permanent lung scarring and inflammation when inhaled

Toluene

  • found in paints, lacquers and nail polishes
  • can cause cancer and infertility

Metals

  • found in batteries
  • can lead to respiratory diseases when inhaled

As e-liquids come in a concentrated form, you can accidently expose yourself to potentially toxic levels of nicotine and other harmful substances6 from simply refilling the e-cartridges.

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, May 15) Why Youth Vape. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html#home

5 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on the Review of the Health Effects of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems. (2018, January 23). Toxicology of E-Cigarette Constituents. NIH.gov; National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507184/

6 Tobacco in Australia (2023, August) 18.4 Safety risks and abuse potential of e-cigarettes. Tobacco in Australia. https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-18-e-cigarettes/18-4-safety-risks-and-abuse-potential-of-e-cigarettes

Untrue!

Vaping devices heat e-liquids or nicotine salts into vapours that are inhaled7.

Some chemicals in e-liquids such as propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, and flavourings are meant to be eaten but not inhaled8. Other commonly found ingredients in vape-liquid include nicotine, benzene, formaldehyde, diacetyl, toulene, metals and more. Some of these components can turn into other potentially dangerous chemicals when heated in vaping devices.

Vaping thus exposes the lungs to a variety of chemicals that can cause serious lung injuries9.

7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, October 13). Dual Use of Tobacco Products. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/dual-tobacco-use.html

8 Alexander, L. E. C., Bellinghausen, A. L., & Eakin, M. N. (2020, May 11). What are the mechanisms underlying vaping-induced lung injury? The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 130(6), 2754–2756. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7260008/

9 Woodall, M., Jacob, J., Kalsi, K. K., Schroeder, V., Davis, E., Kenyon, B., Khan, I., Garnett, J. P., Tarran, R., & Baines, D. L. (2020, December 18). E-cigarette constituents propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin decrease glucose uptake and its metabolism in airway epithelial cells in vitro. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, 319(6), L957–L967. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajplung.00123.2020

Don't be fooled!

In youths, nicotine impacts brain development, permanently lowering the developing brain’s impulse control, affecting its ability to manage attention and learning1. It can also lead to mood disorders10.

Problems with impulse control (i.e. failure to resist urges) can result in sudden physical or verbal outbursts, an internet addiction, or even compulsive eating.

Medical literature also suggests that vaping can be a gateway to smoking and other drug abuse, particularly among youth and young adults11, with growing evidence that those who vape have 3 times the risk of becoming smokers as compared to those who don’t12, 13, 14, 15. This can result in even more negative impacts on health that are hard to recover from.

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, May 15) Why Youth Vape. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html

10 Jones, K., & Salzman, G. A. (2020). The Vaping Epidemic in Adolescents. Missouri Medicine, 117(1), 56–58. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023954/

11 Chadi, N., Rachel Schroeder, & Jensen, J. W. (2019). Association Between Electronic Cigarette Use and Marijuana Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(10).

12 Baenziger ON, Ford L, Yazidjoglou A, et al E-cigarette use and combustible tobacco cigarette smoking uptake among non-smokers, including relapse in former smokers: umbrella review, systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ Open 2021;11:e045603.

13 Chan GCK, Stjepanović D, Lim C, Sun T, Shanmuga Anandan A, Connor JP, Gartner C, Hall WD, Leung J. Gateway or common liability? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of adolescent e-cigarette use and future smoking initiation. Addiction. 2021 Apr;116(4):743-756.

14 O'Brien D, Long J, Quigley J, Lee C, McCarthy A, Kavanagh P. Association between electronic cigarette use and tobacco cigarette smoking initiation in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2021 Jun 3;21(1):954.

15 Soneji S, Barrington-Trimis JL, Wills TA, Leventhal AM, Unger JB, Gibson LA, Yang J, Primack BA, Andrews JA, Miech RA, Spindle TR, Dick DM, Eissenberg T, Hornik RC, Dang R, Sargent JD. Association Between Initial Use of e-Cigarettes and Subsequent Cigarette Smoking Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2017 Aug 1;171(8):788-797. Erratum in: JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Jan 1;172(1):92-93.

Think again!

What you see or have been advertised may not be what you get. There have been reports and studies showing that some products labeled as nicotine-free do, in fact, contain nicotine16, 17. This could be due to contamination, mislabeling, or even intentional deception by manufacturers.

Learn about the harms of nicotine here.

16 Omaiye, E. E., Cordova, I., Davis, B., & Talbot, P. (2017). Counterfeit Electronic Cigarette Products with Mislabeled Nicotine Concentrations. Tobacco Regulatory Science, 3(3), 347–357. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5937541/

17 NSW Government Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine which is highly addictive https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/e-cigarettes.aspx

That's not true!

Vapes contain toxic substances like fine particulate matter that are harmful to not only vapers themselves but others in the same indoor space as well18.

Bystanders may experience irritation of the respiratory tract as a result of exposure to subtances like propylene glycol and glycerol found in fine particulate matter4.

Breathing in particulate matter can result in increased risks of developing heart, lung, and other harmful diseases, worsening of existing illnesses, and shortened life expectancy19.

4 Visser, W. F., Klerx, W. N., Cremers, H. W. J. M., Ramlal, R., Schwillens, P. L., & Talhout, R. (2019, April 30). The Health Risks of Electronic Cigarette Use to Bystanders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(9), 1525. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6539638/

18 WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, Addressing new and emerging products, 2021. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, Addressing new and emerging products. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2021, https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240032095. Accessed 1 Feb 2022.

19 NSW Government. Are electronic cigarettes and e-liquids safe? Fact Sheet. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/are-ecigs-eliquid-safe.aspx

It is not a scare tactic - vaping can cause lung injuries.

Vaping can trigger an inflammation that causes small blood vessels in the lungs to close up, leading to impaired gas exchange and potential respiratory complications20.

Vitamin E acetate (found in some e-liquids) is strongly linked to an outbreak of lung injuries in the United States, leading to hospitalisations and deaths21. In Singapore, two vapers had to undergo operations to treat their collapsed lungs (pneumothorax)22.

Even when no nicotine is involved, inhaling the mist from vapes can damage the lungs due to chemicals present in e-liquids.

20 Gotts, J. E., Jordt, S.-E., McConnell, R., & Tarran, R. (2019, September 30). What are the respiratory effects of e-cigarettes? BMJ, 366(5275), l5275. https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l5275

21 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, January 24) Update: Characteristics of a Nationwide Outbreak of E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use–Associated Lung Injury — United States, August 2019–January 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6903e2.htm

22 Sun, D. (2023, February 13). askST: What are the dangers of vaping? The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/askst-what-are-the-dangers-of-vaping

That's an inaccurate claim.

Studies indicate that smokers who tried to quit smoking using vapes had lower success rates in quitting cigarettes compared to those who used pharmaceutical aids or tried to quit on their own.

A Singapore based survey indicated that while most smokers who tried vaping said that their key motivation to vape was to quit or cut down on smoking, few actually did, and 90% of them ended up as dual users which can be worse for their health23.

Moreover, among recent quitters who vaped daily, nearly 60% returned to cigarette smoking within two years of their quit attempt24. These findings suggest that vaping is not an effective smoking cessation tool and may actually hinder successful quitting attempts while potentially creating additional health risks.

23 Unpublished findings from Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH) Singapore Smokers Survey 2023

24 Tobacco Control BMJ (2022, Feb) Effectiveness of e-cigarettes as aids for smoking cessation: evidence from the PATH Study cohort, 2017–2019 https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/tobaccocontrol/early/2022/01/11/tobaccocontrol-2021-056901.full.pdf

Time for a reality check.

Vapes contains nicotine, which can lead to addiction.

Based on vapes seized by HSA in Singapore, the nicotine consumed from one vape pod is equivalent to about 3 to 4 cigarette packs. In addition to that, vape manufacturers have been putting more nicotine into vapes over the years, which greatly increases the risk of nicotine addiction3.

Vapes being marketed as nicotine-free have been found to contain nicotine as well, and users may be addicted without knowing.

3 World Health Organization. (n.d.). TECHNICAL NOTE ON Call to action on electronic cigarettes. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/tobacco-hq/regulating-tobacco-products/ends-call-to-action-background.pdf?sfvrsn=7dd2856e_11&download=true

Are you sure?

Vapes contain the highly addictive chemical nicotine. When inhaled, nicotine is absorbed within 20 seconds into the bloodstream and releases a feel-good chemical called dopamine in the brain. This dopamine "rush" is a big part of the addictive process.

When the person stops vaping, the level of nicotine in the person’s brain decreases, leading to increased cravings for nicotine. This can result in nicotine dependence. Attempting to quit may cause them to experience withdrawal symptoms, potentially leading the person to resume vaping or smoking25. Hence, quitting vaping is challenging due to its highly addictive nature.

25 Benowitz, N. L. (2010, June 17). Nicotine Addiction. New England Journal of Medicine, 362(24), 2295–2303. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2928221/

Mistruths About The Law

Here are the FACTS.

Harmful and imitation tobacco products such as vapes are banned to protect Singapore's population from the dangers of these products.

Vapes are harmful26 as they:

  • contain highly addictive nicotine that can harm the developing brains of youths, affecting their ability to manage attention and learning, mood and impulse control1

  • contain cancer-causing chemicals and other toxic substances such as metal nanoparticles and particulate matter (PM2.5) that increase the risk of heart and lung diseases

  • are associated with lung injuries

  • contain toxic substances (found in the heated aerosol produced by the device) that can harm users and others through second-hand exposure

  • can be a gateway for non-smokers, particularly youths, to start using cigarettes

Cigarettes were invented in the 1800s, and have become a habit for many people. About 1 in 11 Singaporeans smoke cigarettes daily27. If cigarettes are new products today, the products would unlikely be approved given the harms it can cause to our health.

Similar to cigarettes, alcohol has been present in society since 6000 BC28 and is part of many cultures and celebrations. For such cases, it is more practicable to promote responsible consumption and moderate drinking.

Vapes are relatively new products and we have the opportunity to prevent it from being entrenched the same way as cigarettes. The ban aims to pre-emptively stop these new harmful and addictive products from entering the market and prevent a new set of associated health issues.

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, May 15) Why Youth Vape. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html

26 Ministry of Health, Health Sciences Authority (2023, December 19). Multi-agency Effort to Step Up Vaping Enforcement and Education. HSA. https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/press-release/multi-agency-effort-to-step-up-vaping-enforcement-and-education

27 Ministry of Health Singapore. (2023) National Population Health Survey 2023. Ministry of Health Singapore. https://www.moh.gov.sg/others/resources-and-statistics/nphs-2023

28 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 114 (48) E10309-E10318, Early Neolithic wine of Georgia in the South Caucasus Early Neolithic wine of Georgia in the South Caucasus,(2017, Nov 13) https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1714728114

Here’s why not:

Many countries that allow vaping have tightened regulations, yet youth vaping rates continue to rise29,30. Singapore takes early preventive action to prevent harmful products like vapes from taking root in society.

29 Sreeramareddy, C.T., Acharya, K. & Manoharan, A. Electronic cigarettes use and ‘dual use’ among the youth in 75 countries: estimates from Global Youth Tobacco Surveys (2014–2019). Sci Rep 12, 20967 (2022, Dec 5). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25594-4

30 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Global Tobacco Surveillance System Data (2023, Apr 26). https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/global/gtss/gtssdata/index.html

That's NOT what the law states.

Vaping is illegal in Singapore regardless of whether you vape in private or in public, and you will be subjected to penalties.

The ban on harmful and imitation tobacco products prohibits the use, import, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of:

  • harmful tobacco products (e.g. Shisha tobacco, smokeless tobacco, dissolvable tobacco, nicotine/tobacco candies and liquids, oral snuff, nasal snuff and so on)

  • imitation tobacco products (e.g. vaporisers such as electronic cigarettes, electronic pipes, electronic cigars and the like31)

Anyone caught owning, using and/or buying e-cigarettes, is liable to a fine not exceeding $2,000.

31 Singapore Statutes Online. Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993.
https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/TCASA1993

Incorrect!

When you buy and make payment for a vape, it is considered a purchase31, which is also prohibited.

The penalty for possessing, using or purchasing vapes is a fine not exceeding $2,000.

31 Singapore Statutes Online. (1993). Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993. https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/TCASA1993

That's a costly assumption.

When you buy a vape on behalf of a friend and receive payment for the vape from him/her, it is considered a sale31.

The penalties for selling e-cigarettes are:

1st Offence:

  • Fine not exceeding $10,000

  • Imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months; or

  • Both fine and imprisonment

2nd & subsequent Offences:

  • Fine not exceeding $20,000

  • Imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months; or

  • Both fine and imprisonment

31 Singapore Statutes Online. (1993). Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993. https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/TCASA1993

Mistruths On Seeking Help

Not true.

You can dial in to Quitline at 1800 438 2000 to seek help*. Quitline is a tele-counselling service and a safe space readily available to support you in quitting.

For more support personalised to your needs, you can sign up for the HPB I Quit Programme, which focuses on helping individual smokers and vapers quit their nicotine addiction to achieve a healthier, nicotine-free lifestyle. Admissions of consumption of such products shared during the programme will be kept confidential and will not be reported to other authorities.

If you are currently attending school, you can contact your school’s Student Health Advisor or school counsellor to seek cessation help as well.

*Kindly note that airtime charges apply for mobile calls to 1800 service lines and calls are free of charge only if made from regular land lines.

Updated as of 21 March 2025

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