A 26-year-old man has been fined a total of S$14,000 for promoting e-vaporisers on social media and possessing the banned products, marking the first prosecution of its kind in Singapore.
In a statement on Wednesday, December 17, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said that Krish Khalifa, who is known online as Rapperboya, was fined S$12,000 for posting content related to e-vaporisers on his social media platforms. He was also fined an additional S$2,000 for possessing vapes on multiple occasions between 2023 and 2024.
Khalifa pleaded guilty to five vape-related charges — two counts of possession and three counts of promoting the use of tobacco imitation products. He also admitted to separate offences, including relinquishing control of his bank accounts to facilitate the laundering of scam proceeds and committing a rash act. He was sentenced to jail for these additional offences.
HSA said it began investigations after receiving public complaints about videos Khalifa had posted on TikTok showing him vaping.
Court documents revealed that on July 20, 2024, Khalifa uploaded a video of himself holding an e-vaporiser while sleeping. Prosecutors said he knew the video showed him with the device and had posted it in response to comments on an earlier video about being caught for a vape-related offence, believing it would be humorous.
On September 10, 2024, Khalifa uploaded a music video on TikTok that showed him using a vape at several points. He later admitted that the device belonged to him. Investigations found that he had posted a total of nine videos and photographs across his social media accounts depicting himself holding or using e-vaporisers in public places and at home.
The prosecutors said that the posts effectively functioned as advertisements, portraying and encouraging the use of imitation tobacco products.
Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, content that promotes or encourages the use of e-vaporisers may be treated as advertising of a prohibited tobacco product.
Checks showed that Khalifa has since deactivated his TikTok account. HSA said it has stepped up surveillance and enforcement against the online promotion of e-vaporisers, particularly on digital and social media platforms.
Between January 1 and November 30 this year, 38 individuals were fined for posting photos or videos of e-vaporisers online. Norman Chong, director of HSA's Tobacco Regulation Branch, said such content risks normalising vaping and may influence the public, especially young people, to experiment with banned products. He added that HSA maintains a zero-tolerance stance and will continue taking firm action against those who promote e-vaporisers.
Under the law, offenders convicted of promoting the use of tobacco or imitation tobacco products can be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders face stiffer penalties, including fines of up to S$20,000 and jail terms of up to one year.
