A youth was found behaving oddly on the floor of the Serangoon MRT station, an incident captured in videos that quickly spread on Instagram. The clips show the youth lying down and shaking slightly, with his arms crossed over his chest, as many commuters walk past.
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An eyewitness reported that before lying down, the youth had been walking unsteadily and puffing white smoke. The person who recorded the video believed the youth was using “Kpods,” which are illegal drug-laced e-vaporisers in Singapore.
The Youth Behaviour
Despite his erratic behaviour, the youth was still able to respond to help. When two female passers-by approached him and asked if he was okay, he replied “yes” and tried to get up. The incident took place on August 13 around 4:40 pm, in the transfer passage between the different train lines.
Authorities’ Action
In direct response to this incident and other similar occurrences, a strong, unified front from the authorities has been announced.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA), along with transport operators SMRT and SBS Transit, have made it clear that they are stepping up enforcement efforts against vaping on public transport. The new rules state that anyone caught in the act of vaping will be removed from the premises and immediately reported to the authorities.
This increased enforcement aligns with a major announcement made by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong regarding the issue. He stated that Singapore will now officially treat vaping as a drug issue, which will come with much stricter penalties. This includes the possibility of jail time for those who are found to be selling vapes that contain harmful substances.
The severity of the government’s new stance is highlighted by ongoing investigations.
The Health Sciences Authority and the Ministry of Health are currently investigating about 65 cases related to the possession, sale, or importation of etomidate-laced e-vaporisers, also known as ‘Kpods.’
