A 19-year-old woman has been charged with multiple offenses related to the sale and possession of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or vapes), marking another step in the ongoing crackdown on vaping activities among youth.
Albee Chai Buo Yin was brought before the courts on Tuesday, July 22, and faces three charges under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act.
The charges include advertising electronic cigarettes, selling vapes, and possessing vapes without proper authorization.
According to the news reports, Chai is accused of selling three disposable vapes to a customer identified only as Javier through WhatsApp on August 3, 2024.
Additionally, she is charged with publishing an advertisement of imitation tobacco products by sharing an image of assorted Lana e-cigarettes on WhatsApp on October 22 of the previous year.
Police investigations also revealed that she was found to have six disposable vapes and one vape with a pod at her residence in Jurong West Street 91 on December 19.
When asked about her plea, Chai indicated she intended to plead guilty, the report added.
A court hearing has been scheduled for August for her to formally enter her plea.
Legal consequences for such offenses are significant. If convicted of selling or advertising vapes, individuals can face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both. Possession of vapes for personal use or other purposes, without sale intent, carries a fine of up to S$2,000.
The charges against Chai come amid intensified enforcement efforts by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and other agencies aimed at curbing vaping among students and the general population.
HSA reported a surge in public reports of illegal vaping activities, with over 2,500 reports received in the first half of 2025, compared to more than 3,000 reports throughout 2024.
In response, HSA has recently launched a new online reporting platform to facilitate public assistance in identifying and tackling illegal vaping activities more effectively.
With effect from 21 July 2025, those who have information on the illegal advertisement, import, distribution, sale or possession of e-vaporisers can contact HSA to support our enforcement efforts through two convenient channels:
- Submit information through our new online reporting form: www.go.gov.sg/reportvape
- Call the Tobacco Regulation Branch at Tel: 6684 2036 or 6684 2037, which will be operational daily, including weekends and public holidays, from 9am to 9pm
According to HSA, recent public feedback and social media posts led to the apprehension of an alleged distributor responsible for a large haul of e-vaporisers, as well as four individuals involved in three separate vaping-related incidents.
In one case involving two 16-year-old boys, e-vaporiser pods seized from the home of one of the boys were tested and found to contain etomidate, a potent substance capable of causing addiction and physical dependence. Additionally, two men observed vaping in separate social media videos were identified and detained.
In a series of enforcement actions, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) targeted individuals involved in the distribution and use of e-vaporisers. On 11 July 2025, HSA swiftly responded to public feedback by apprehending a 21-year-old man in Bishan and Ubi for allegedly distributing e-vaporisers and their components. During the raid, officers seized nearly three tonnes of e-vaporisers, and the suspect was charged in court on 14 July 2025, with the case scheduled for 11 August 2025.
Earlier, on 22 May 2025, HSA raided the homes of two 16-year-old boys related to an incident on 18 May 2025, where they were caught vaping in a private-hire car along the Bukit Timah Expressway. The driver had reported the incident, leading to the seizure of two e-vaporisers from one of the boys. Follow-up checks revealed that the same boy’s residence contained 54 e-vaporiser pods and three e-vaporisers, with some pods testing positive for etomidate. The other boy’s home yielded no e-vaporisers, but both are assisting investigations.
In another case, on 16 May 2025, HSA raided the residence of a 24-year-old man who was caught vaping in a lift at Sim Lim Square, an incident recorded in a social media video on 30 April 2025. Officers seized two e-vaporisers from his home, and he is cooperating with authorities. Additionally, on 22 May 2025, the residence of a 58-year-old man was raided after he was filmed on 19 May 2025 sitting on the road, holding an e-vaporiser and appearing unable to walk unassisted. Although he admitted to vaping, no e-vaporisers were found during the raid. Nonetheless, HSA issued him a composition fine, and he was observed to be shaking uncontrollably in the video.
Image via google
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