Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has launched an investigation after a man working at a motor roadshow in Punggol was allegedly filmed using a vape-like device inside Waterway Point.
The incident reportedly happened at around 7:20 p.m. on Aug. 30 during a Dongfeng Motors roadshow at the Punggol mall. Footage later uploaded to Instagram showed a man seated at a table appearing to take several puffs from a device while other members of the public, including a family with children, were nearby.
The video was posted online on Sept. 22 by the account @sgfollowsall after an anonymous user reportedly submitted the footage. The person who shared the video said they had noticed the man repeatedly taking puffs before the recording was made and that a report had been filed with HSA.
The man was reportedly a salesman working at the roadshow. Volt Auto, the authorised distributor for Dongfeng Motors in Singapore, said it had identified the individual in the footage and was aware of the video circulating online.
The company said the matter was being handled internally and that it would cooperate with the authorities. HSA confirmed that it was aware of the incident and had begun an investigation.
Singapore has maintained strict controls on vaporisers. The Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act, which took effect on May 1, 2026, consolidated Singapore’s enforcement and rehabilitation framework for vaporiser-related offences and introduced enhanced penalties for offences involving vaporisers.
Under Singapore’s current rules, possession and use of vaporisers are prohibited. HSA has also urged members of the public to report suspected vaping offences through its official reporting channels.
The investigation comes as Singapore continues to strengthen enforcement against vaping. The government has maintained that vaporisers are prohibited and has stepped up measures addressing both ordinary vape use and devices or products containing specified psychoactive substances such as etomidate.
Authorities have not announced any charge against the roadshow employee in connection with the incident. The footage shows what appears to be vaping, but the investigation will determine the nature of the device and whether any offence was committed.
The case also highlights the scrutiny that businesses and their employees can face when alleged vaping incidents occur in busy public spaces, particularly at commercial events where members of the public are present.
The bigger question now is what HSA’s investigation will uncover—and whether the alleged incident will lead to enforcement action against the employee or further scrutiny of vaping at public events in Singapore.
