SINGAPORE – A teenager who was filmed walking unsteadily inside an MRT train on July 31 was observed to have been allegedly vaping by station staff.

A 15-second clip posted on Reddit on July 31 showed the teen, who appeared to be in a daze, stumbling towards the train doors before falling b ackward s.

In response to a Straits Times query, SMRT, which runs the North-South, East-West, Circle and Thomson-East Coast lines as well as the Bukit Panjang LRT line, said it is aware of the video which allegedly showed the use of Kpods, or etomidate-laced vapes, by the teen.

“Our station staff was able to locate the male commuter who was observed to be vaping, escorted him out of our train and handed him over to the authorities,” said Mr Lam Sheau Kai, president of SMRT Trains.

“We have also issued a notice of offence to this individual for flouting the rules.

The notice generally requires the recipient to pay a composition penalty within a stated period.

SMRT did not provide details of the MRT station and line linked to the incident.

On Aug 1, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the 17-year-old was found with a vape in his possession and is assisting with investigations.

Etomidate is classified as a poison and regulated under the Poisons Act. It has clinical use as an anaesthetic agent, and is permitted only in clinical settings and subject to strict conditions.

Experts who spoke to ST said etomidate has been known to cause a type of muscle spasm called myoclonus, which patients may describe as tremors.

Symptoms of etomidate overdose can surface in unsteadiness, sluggishness and mental confusion.

Said Mr Lam: “We take such illegal behaviour very seriously and strongly encourage commuters who encounter similar situations to report them.”

On July 30, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam announced that officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be seconded to beef up HSA’s enforcement efforts against etomidate-related offences.

MHA is expected to list etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in the coming weeks as an interim measure, as the Ministry of Health continues to study further legislative action against Kpod offenders.

If etomidate is listed as a Class C drug, users can be subjected to supervision and mandatory participation in a rehabilitation programme or committed to drug rehabilitation centres, like what drug abusers undergo.

Those who reoffend or commit other serious offences can also be jailed for at least a year.

To report vaping-related offences, call the HSA hotline on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, including on public holidays.

The public can also do so online at

www.go.gov.sg/reportvape

If you have a story to share about vapes, e-mail us at

stnewsdesk@sph.com.sg

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