August 22, 2025 | 10:19 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN) confirmed that it will not follow Singapore's move to ban the use of vape and equate its position with narcotics.
BNN Chief Marthinus Hukom said Indonesia opts for tightening supervision on vape liquid containing hazardous substances.
"It's banned in Singapore, but we are not banning vapes here. We must control the drug-containing liquid," Marthinus told Tempo on Thursday, August 21, 2025.
According to Marthinus, his agency has recently confiscated around 1,800 vaping devices containing etomidate and ketamine. Both substances, after being examined in the laboratory, are classified as anesthetics and belong to the psychotropic category.
"We then handed them over to BPOM because it falls under the authority of the Ministry of Health and the National Police," he said.
New Methods to Abuse Drugs
The shift from traditional cigarette sticks to electronic ones is opening the doors for new methods of abusing drugs, as a new phenomenon emerges of people vaping with psychotropic substances.
Marthinus mentioned that BNN is now collaborating with the Customs and Excise Office, marketplaces, and vape shops to strengthen supervision. The move is not aimed at disrupting the vape businesses but at exercising mutual control.
"So, what is banned is the narcotics, not the vape or electronic cigarettes," Marthinus Hukom said.
Singapore Tightens Stance Against Vape
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in his speech commemorating National Day on August 17, declared that vaping will be treated as a "drug issue" with more severe penalties, including imprisonment.
"So far we’ve treated vaping like tobacco—at most we impose a fine. But that’s no longer enough," he said during the National Day commemoration on Sunday, as quoted from CNA.
According to Wong, vaping is a serious problem, and vapes are still smuggled in despite being prohibited.
Wong revealed that many vapes contain addictive and hazardous substances, including etomidate, a fast-acting anesthetic that can be dangerous if used outside a controlled medical environment. The etomidate-laced vapes, known as Kpods, have been in the spotlight in Singapore for a while.
"The vapes themselves are just delivery devices. The real danger is what's inside," said Wong.
According to the local government's records, vape is increasingly being used among youths despite being banned since 2018. Singapore is also preparing a massive campaign in schools and educational institutions to curb the misuse of electronic cigarettes.
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