Treatment of Offences by Vape Users who Have Participated in I Quit Programme

9 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Health for vape users who participate in the I Quit programme (a) whether these participants have been offered immunity from criminal prosecution; (b) how many have benefited from this programme to date; and (c) what happens if the users are subsequently caught using vapes again.

The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, the team that runs the I Quit programme does not presume that participants currently possess or use vaping products. So, participants need not worry that they will be fined or prosecuted, just for joining the I Quit programme or for turning up for the sessions. That said, I Quit participants are not immune from criminal prosecution with regard to the illegal possession or use of vaping products. If caught, they are subject to the same enforcement actions as other offenders.

A total of 112,000 participants have joined the I Quit programme since May 2014. The number is correct as of December 2023. The programme does not keep track of which participants are smokers or vapers.

Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Thank you to Senior Minister of State for his response.

If I may build on his response. He mentioned that there is no presumption of guilt in terms of the usage of vaping products, but, surely he can see as well, that if an individual is currently using vaping products, the absence of some kind of immunity would potentially undermine the incentives for seeking to participate in the programme. But, by the same token, the other question that was asked was about penalties and here, I am concerned that if the penalties, were they to be caught after availing themselves to the programme, are too large. That in turn, will also discourage presumably the behaviour that the Ministry wishes – which is to encourage further cessation of usage of vapes.

Just to be clear, the question is whether there are publicity efforts to try to help those who want to give up, understand that potentially there will be no prosecution, if they were to surrender themselves? And what kind of penalties would be applied on them, were they to be subsequently identified as vapers?

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, for clarity, participation in the I Quit programme does not change the likelihood of prosecution or the penalties. I think Assoc Prof Lim understands that it is the current status quo. I think he is making a suggestion – that perhaps that should change, that either participation in the programme should change the likelihood of prosecution if someone confesses or comes clean, or he is suggesting that the penalties for such participants should be different as a result of their participation.

That is not the current situation, as I have explained in my answer. I thank him for his suggestion. And certainly, we want to continue to study ways to make the I Quit programme successful and improve the likelihood of people ceasing from smoking or vaping.