3 teens prosecuted after vaping on train and uploading video on social media
SINGAPORE — Three teenagers fined and ordered to complete a community rehabilitative programme after they uploaded videos of them using an electronic vaporiser on an MRT train in March this year.
In a media release on Friday (17 July), the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said that enforcement actions were taken against the teenagers, who were aged 13, 16 and 18. They include:
For the two under-18 first-time offenders, they are to complete a community rehabilitative programme, and stay crime-free for 12 months. If they re-offend during the period, they can be prosecuted in court;
They are also fined between $200 and $500 for related offences under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act.
Filmed and uploaded video on social media
The teenagers were identified by police officers from the Public Transport Security Command of the Singapore Police Force.
Investigations showed that all three of them had taken turns to use the e-vaporiser on board an MRT train along the Circle Line on 25 March. One of them had filmed the video and uploaded it on social media.
“In this instance, the teenagers had blatantly flouted the law by vaping in plain sight of commuters on the train where smoking is prohibited, and deliberately flaunted their offence on social media,” HSA said in the media release.
Offence to buy, use, possess e-vaporisers
The purchase, use and possession of e-vaporisers is banned in Singapore. Offenders can be fined up to $2,000. From 1 February 2018 to 30 June 2020, 1,335 people have been caught for the use of e-vaporisers.
The import, distribution, possession for sale, sale or offer for sale of such products are also prohibited. This includes purchases made through the Internet and from overseas.
Offenders can be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed up to 6 months for the first offence, and fined up to $20,000 and/or jailed up to 12 months for subsequent offences.
Members of the public who have information on illegal activities involving e-vaporisers and under-aged smokers can fill in this online form. Alternatively, they can contact the Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 during office hours (9am to 5.30pm, Mondays to Fridays).
Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore
More Singapore stories:
GE2020: WP's gains in northeast Singapore due to long-term resident engagement – analysts
MOE to train teachers in discussing race, language, religion issues: Ong Ye Kung
More wet weather in next fortnight, temperatures may dip as low as 22ºC
Woman, 20, who allegedly evaded taxi fare and hit elderly cabby with wooden pan arrested
