Eight individuals aged between 18 and 24 were fined for vape-related offences following a series of enforcement operations carried out at and around all 12 institutes of higher learning (IHLs) between September 8 and November 14.
In a joint statement on Thursday, November 27, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) said a total of 19 vapes and related components were seized during the operations. The offenders were issued on-the-spot fines.
The checks were conducted jointly by HSA enforcement officers and campus security teams. Images released by the authorities showed officers inspecting areas such as toilet cubicles, stairwells and overhead bridges — locations often used by offenders attempting to evade detection.
MOE and HSA noted that students caught vaping will face not only regulatory penalties but also disciplinary action from their schools. Institutions have tightened their internal measures "to align with the stricter national posture against vaping", the agencies said.
In one example cited, a 24-year-old man caught vaping on campus in September was fined by HSA and subsequently disciplined by his school. He will also have to undergo mandatory counselling, according to the statement.
Stricter penalties for vape-related offences came into effect on September 1. Under the enhanced framework, first-time offenders under 18 now face a S$500 fine, up from S$300 previously, while adults committing the offence for the first time may be fined S$700, an increase from S$500.
Vaping among students has been a persistent concern. Between 2022 and 2024, around 800 students were caught each year across IHLs, which include the Institute of Technical Education, Singapore's five polytechnics and six autonomous universities.
The latest enforcement round follows an earlier operation on July 14, during which 27 people were caught and fined near five IHL campuses.
