Kpods - vape juice that is usually mixed with etomidate, an anaesthetic used in some non-surgical procedures - is a growing scourge in Singapore, according to some social services agencies here. - Photo: Unsplash
SINGAPORE: Amirul (not his real name) was offered a vape by his friend in September, and took a puff without thinking much about it.
On his friend’s urging, the 21-year-old student took another puff and this time, his body felt heavy and his head began to spin.
While these effects lasted for only a minute, he became upset upon learning from his friend that the vape was laced with drugs.
“I was told that the vape I took was known as Kpods,” he told The Straits Times.
Kpods - vape juice that is usually mixed with etomidate, an anaesthetic used in some non-surgical procedures - is a growing scourge in Singapore, according to some social services agencies here.
They told ST that they have seen an increase in people aged between 12 and 19 discussing and participating in this latest vape trend.
Etomidate is classified as a poison under the Poisons Act, and a licence is needed to import or sell it here.
Checks by ST showed that there were at least six groups selling Kpods on messaging app Telegram, some with over hundreds of members. Some groups even come with promises to deliver the products within half an hour.
Some sellers in the Telegram groups claimed they also sell vape liquid with ketamine.
Ketamine, which can be used as an anaesthetic in emergency care for pain relief or short surgical procedures, is listed as a Class A controlled drug in Singapore.
It is illegal to traffic, make, import, export, possess or consume the drug.
Prices of such drug-laced vapes range from $50 to $100, according to social workers ST spoke to, as well as prices listed in the Telegram groups. A normal vape costs between $10 and $70.
When contacted, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said it, along with the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), is monitoring the trend of using vapes to consume illegal substances, which has been observed overseas.
An HSA spokesperson said it has detected a case of a vape containing ketamine and three cases of vapes containing etomidate since March. The case involving ketamine has been referred to the CNB.
HSA said it is investigating the three suspects who were found with vapes containing etomidate. If convicted, they may be jailed, fined, or both.
It is also an offence to possess, use or buy e-vaporisers, and offenders can be fined. Those who import, distribute, sell or offer to sell e-vaporisers and their components can be fined, jailed, or both.
CNB said vaporisers used for controlled drugs and vaporiser pods containing controlled drugs such as cannabis have been seized by CNB and HSA officers but said these were “sporadic cases”.
It added that it will investigate anyone with positive urine tests for controlled drugs, regardless of how the drugs are consumed.
Senior social worker Flora Tan from Care Corner, a social service agency founded in 1981, said she learnt of the trend in August from the youths she worked with.
She said Kpods are marketed as a “less lethal and a more convenient alternative to drugs that promises a good kick with a few (puffs)”, and added that during work discussions, she and her team have discovered that users as young as 12 years old are experimenting with such vapes while those who are 18 and 19 years old are consuming it regularly.
“For a young person who is already addicted to or using vapes regularly, Kpods is the next ‘cool kid on the block’ to get acquainted with,” she added.
Jedidiah Chong, a senior social worker at Fei Yue Community Services, said the charity was alerted about Kpods’ trend in August, when its social workers said they had heard youths talking about it.
To protect those who work with the youths, Fei Yue staff have been trained to assess situations and will call the emergency services if there are safety concerns, he added.
Narasimman Tivasiha Mani, executive director at youth mental health charity Impart, told ST that a longer-term solution to stop youths from using vapes is to address the misconceptions - such as assuming that it is a safer and non-addictive alternative to smoking - and highlight the financial costs associated with the habit.
“Providing guidance on how to manage their finances effectively to support a healthier and fulfilling lifestyle is one way to free youths from being dependent on vapes,” said Narasimman, adding that he has encountered three youths who said they have tried Kpods.
“Helping a young person think a lot more about the future will help them to build resilience against temptation and focus on long-term well-being instead of seeking instant gratification.”
Some people have used TikTok and Instagram to warn others about Kpods.
One of them is content creator S. Subhraaj, 28, who said that etomidate-laced Kpods are touted to be safe by sellers as it supposedly cannot be detected by urine tests.
However, he said one of his friends, who was being monitored by the authorities for drug consumption, tested positive for ketamine after consuming it in September.
“This was when I realised that suppliers may also add other types of drugs and substances to the vapes, and we’ll never know what they’re adding into them.”
Former drug addict Bruce Stevens Mathieu has also gone on Instagram to alert his followers about etomidate-laced Kpods. The 55-year-old said two parents have contacted him to help persuade their children to stop taking the product.
“Those consuming it become emboldened and are even challenging their parents and the authorities about their consumption. They think the authorities cannot do anything about them,” said the anti-drug advocate and prison volunteer.
Dr David Teo, senior consultant psychiatrist and deputy medical director at Connections MindHealth, a psychiatric clinic, said drug-laced vapes can pose health risks such as confusion, seizures, heart and lung diseases, as well as mental health issues such as depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and suicide.
He added: “The person vaping is often unaware of the exact doses of drugs consumed. This can lead to unpredictable effects and accidental overdose, which may at times be fatal.”
Meanwhile, Amirul has distanced himself from the friends who smoke Kpods.
“They look like zombies - the way they talk and move after smoking Kpods,” said the tertiary student.
“I’ve been passionate about boxing since I was a teen, and after I stopped vaping and smoking, my stamina improved greatly. I hope to keep it that way.”
How other countries are dealing with similar Kpods’ vapes
The Kpods situation in Singapore mirrors that in Taiwan and Hong Kong, where etomidate-laced vape products - termed “zombie vapes” and “space oil” - were found there.
In Taiwan, authorities said the number of hit-and-run incidents linked to the consumption of etomidate-related vape products have been increasing.
Two on-duty police officers have died in 2024 while five others have been injured, reported Taipei Times in October.
The same product emerged in 2023 in Hong Kong and 132 people have been arrested for possession or sale of etomidate-laced vapes so far, up from nine people in 2023, the South China Morning Post reported on Dec 3.
To curb the problem, both Taiwan and Hong Kong have taken steps to control the sale of etomidate-laced vapes. Those convicted of possessing and trafficking these vapes can be jailed and fined.
Closer to home, vapes laced with ketamine and methamphetamine have also been detected in Malaysia and Thailand.
In May, the Bangkok Post reported that two Singaporeans were among four people arrested in Bangkok for selling vapes laced with methamphetamine and heroin.
In October, The New Straits Times said Malaysian police had arrested three people who were allegedly involved in the sale of drug-laced vapes.
In addition, Malaysia plans to build laboratories that can detect synthetic drugs, including prohibited substances present in vapes. - The Straits Times/ANN
