Singapore Shuts Down Over 600 Telegram Groups to Crack Down on Illegal E-Cigarette Sales

Jul.17

Since April 2024, Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has shut down over 600 Telegram groups promoting or selling e-cigarettes and Kpods. This is the first time HSA has released such data. Additionally, from January 2024 to March 2025, HSA and the Ministry of Health removed more than 6,800 online listings related to e-cigarettes—more than double the number removed in 2023.

Key Points:

·The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore has shut down over 600 Telegram groups to crack down on the illegal sale of e-cigarettes.

·From January 2024 to March 2025, a total of over 6,800 e-cigarette-related online listings were removed, more than double the amount from 2023.

·This is the first time that HSA has disclosed the number of Telegram groups banned for selling e-cigarettes.

【2Firsts News Flash】According to The Straits Times report on July 16, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore has shut down more than 600 groups on Telegram that were promoting or selling e-cigarettes and Kpods.

The organization stated on July 16th that the channels promoting e-cigarettes have been removed since April 2024.

This is the first time that the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has disclosed the number of Telegram groups that have been banned for selling e-cigarettes.

In May 2025, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Ministry of Health announced that over 6800 online listings of e-cigarettes and related components were removed from e-commerce and social media platforms from January 2024 to March 2025.

This figure is more than double the 3,100 listings removed in 2023.

These platforms include Facebook, Instagram, and Carousell, but do not include Telegram.

On July 16th, HSA stated that its tobacco control department has been actively monitoring and enforcing the ban on e-cigarette advertising and sales, both offline and online.

References:

[1] Over 600 Telegram groups in Singapore selling, advertising vapes removed by HSA

Also Read:

[1] Singapore May Tighten E-Cigarette Rules as Surge Detected in Products Laced with Anesthetic Etomidate

[2] Singapore Launches Anti-Vaping Campaign Using Satirical Designs to Warn Teens of Risks

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