Over 2,500 people were caught for vaping-related offences in Singapore in the first three months of 2026 alone — and that figure was collected before the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act (TVCA) even came into force. From 1 May 2026, Singapore’s workplace vaping landscape changed materially. The TVCA, which replaces and significantly strengthens the old Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, places explicit legal duties on employers, building owners, and occupiers of commercial premises. Ignorance of these duties is not a defence — and for companies employing foreign professionals on work passes, the employment consequences of a conviction extend beyond the individual to the employer’s own compliance standing.
This guide sets out what changed on 1 May 2026, what obligations now rest on employers and HR teams, and the practical steps your organisation should take to protect both your premises and your workforce — including your foreign employees, whose work pass status can be affected by a conviction.
What the TVCA Changed on 1 May 2026
The Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act 1993 (as amended by the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Amendment) and Other Matters Act 2026, passed in Parliament on 6 March 2026) took effect on 1 May 2026. Per the Singapore Government’s official explainer, the key changes include:
- Expanded prohibited products. The TVCA now captures vaporisers, imitation tobacco products, vaping components, and — critically — vaporisers laced with etomidate (a short-acting sedative increasingly misused via vaping devices). The old Act only addressed tobacco and conventional vaping products; the TVCA future-proofs enforcement as technology evolves.
- Stronger individual penalties. First-time offenders caught in possession or using a vaporiser face a fine of up to SGD 2,000. Repeat offenders face fines of up to SGD 10,000. Persons who possess or use etomidate-based vapes face separate and more severe penalties under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
- Premises owner and occupier liability. This is the new element most directly relevant to employers. From 1 May 2026, owners and occupiers of land, buildings, or places must exercise due care to prevent the storage of prohibited tobacco products, vaporisers, and vaporiser components on their premises.
- Specified-premises rules for entertainment venues. Owners and managers of specified premises — discotheques, pubs, bars, lounges, nightclubs, and KTV establishments — face mandatory obligations (not merely recommended best practices) to act when prohibited items are found on their premises.
In Q1 2026, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) reported 2,589 individuals caught for vaping offences, including 377 etomidate-related cases. More than 36,000 vaporisers and components were seized at Singapore’s borders in the same period. These enforcement numbers signal sustained and intensifying effort by HSA and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
Employer Obligations Under the TVCA: The Due-Care Standard
The TVCA’s due-care obligation for premises owners and occupiers is the headline change for Singapore HR teams. The Health Sciences Authority has published a Handbook on Exercising Due Care for Owners and Occupiers of Commercial Premises in Singapore, which sets out recommended practices to demonstrate due care. The core concept is this: an employer who allows vaping to happen on company premises — including storage of vaping devices in lockers, drawers, or common areas — risks being found in breach of the due-care duty if no reasonable preventive measures are in place.
What “Due Care” Means in Practice
The HSA Handbook identifies several measures that can demonstrate due care. Employers should consider:
- Displaying clear no-vaping signage throughout the workplace, including at building entrances, pantries, and prayer rooms.
- Incorporating explicit anti-vaping clauses in employment contracts and the staff handbook, with defined disciplinary consequences.
- Conducting ad-hoc inspections of lockers, drawers, and common storage areas, particularly where there is a reasonable basis for suspicion.
- Establishing a confidential reporting channel so employees can flag suspected vaping by colleagues without fear of retaliation.
- Training HR managers and supervisors to identify the signs of vaping (scent, device appearance, behavioural patterns) and act on reports promptly.
Specified-Premises Obligations
If your business operates a specified premises category (discotheque, pub, bar, lounge, nightclub, or KTV establishment), the obligations are mandatory rather than advisory. When a prohibited item is found, you must: (1) tell the individual to stop and immediately dispose of the item; and (2) if they refuse, require them to leave the premises. Failure to act when a violation is discovered is itself an offence.
Workplace Vaping Singapore: What HR Managers Should Do Now
Given that the TVCA is now in force, the following checklist represents a minimum standard for HR compliance. Employers who have not yet updated their policies are already operating in non-compliance with the spirit of the legislation.
1. Update Your Employee Handbook
Your handbook should contain an explicit workplace vaping policy. This should state that:
- The possession, use, or storage of vaporisers (including e-cigarettes, electronic vaping devices, heated tobacco products, and etomidate vapes) is strictly prohibited on company premises and in company vehicles.
- The prohibition applies during working hours and on company property regardless of shift, and extends to contractors, visitors, and delivery personnel under the company’s supervision.
- Disciplinary consequences are clearly stated — a tiered approach (verbal warning → written warning → termination) is consistent with the Employment Act’s principles on misconduct.
2. Update Employment Contracts and Offer Letters
New employment contracts issued from 1 May 2026 onwards should reference the workplace vaping policy. For existing employees, a formal policy acknowledgement — signed and dated — is advisable. This creates a documented record that the employee was informed of the prohibition before any disciplinary action becomes necessary. Review your Employment Pass employment terms to ensure EP holders’ contracts are also updated, as pass holders are subject to the same employment laws as local employees.
3. Arrange Premises Inspections and Signage
Post no-vaping notices at all entry points, in pantries, server rooms, and prayer rooms. For industrial or warehouse premises, post notices at locker bays. In buildings where the company leases office space, coordinate with the building management to ensure shared areas (lobbies, lift lobbies, car parks) also display compliant signage.
4. Train Your Supervisors
A policy that no one enforces is not a policy. Supervisors should receive a brief — even 30 minutes at a team meeting — on: what vaping devices look like; the legal consequences for employees and the employer; and how to handle a discovered violation (report to HR, document, do not confront aggressively). This is particularly important in sectors with a high proportion of foreign workers, where language and cultural differences may require translated briefings.
Specific Considerations for Foreign Employees and Work Pass Holders
The TVCA creates compounded risks for employers who sponsor foreign employees. Consider the following scenario: an S Pass or Work Permit holder is found vaping on company premises and subsequently charged and convicted of a TVCA offence. The conviction is reportable to MOM, and a criminal conviction can trigger work pass cancellation, deportation, and a bar on re-entry to Singapore. Employers who are found to have failed to exercise due care — effectively facilitating or turning a blind eye to vaping — may also face questions from MOM about their fitness as a work pass sponsor.
For employers of Work Permit holders in sectors like construction, marine, and process industries, the stakes are higher still. These industries operate dormitory accommodation, and the TVCA’s due-care obligation clearly extends to dormitory premises. The foreign worker levy obligations and quota management discussed in our Singapore Foreign Worker Levy 2026 guide assume an employer in good standing with MOM — a TVCA breach can disrupt that standing.
HR teams managing foreign professionals on Employment Passes should also note that EP holders convicted of TVCA offences are subject to the same MOM reporting obligations and deportation-risk analysis. Pass cancellation mid-employment triggers significant cost and compliance obligations — including timely IR21 tax clearance filings and correct final-pay calculations under the Employment Act.
Disciplinary Tiers: A Practical Framework
Singapore’s Employment Act does not prescribe a mandatory progressive-discipline structure for misconduct, but the Industrial Arbitration Court and Employment Claims Tribunals consistently favour documented progressive discipline before termination. For workplace vaping, an appropriate tiered approach is:
- First offence: Verbal warning, documented in writing and countersigned. Employee re-reads and acknowledges the company vaping policy.
- Second offence: Written warning placed on the employee’s file. For EP or S Pass holders, this is the stage at which HR should also check whether a TVCA charge or conviction is pending — if so, MOM notification may be required.
- Third offence / criminal charge: Show-cause letter and potential termination for misconduct, following the procedure under your employment contract and the Employment Act. For foreign work pass holders, initiate the MOM cancellation and repatriation process in accordance with pass conditions and employment pass obligations.
If the employee is charged or convicted under TVCA for an etomidate-vaping offence (which has a drugs-law dimension under the Misuse of Drugs Act), the employer may terminate for gross misconduct — without progressive steps — given the criminal nature of the underlying conduct. Legal advice is strongly recommended before taking this step.
Special Considerations: Dormitories, Factories, and Entertainment Venues
The TVCA’s due-care obligation is not limited to CBD offices. Key sector-specific points:
- Dormitories and factory premises: Dormitory operators must treat the due-care obligation as a structural element of dormitory management — not merely a policy add-on. Storage of vaporisers in personal lockers located on dormitory grounds falls within the scope of the obligation. Regular inspections and a clear reporting mechanism (accessible even to workers with limited English) are essential.
- Factories and warehouses: Fire-safety considerations independently support a zero-tolerance vaping policy. The TVCA obligation adds a legal dimension — employers who comply with fire safety but ignore TVCA may face separate liability.
- F&B establishments, clubs, and KTV venues: These fall within the specified premises category for TVCA purposes. Owners and managers are not just recommended to act — they are legally required to. Failure to intervene when a violation is observed is an offence. Point-of-sale and entry-point training for front-of-house staff is non-negotiable.
MOM Compliance Checklist for Employers
The following checklist consolidates the practical actions required from HR and management following the 1 May 2026 TVCA commencement:
- ☑ Workplace vaping policy drafted and incorporated into staff handbook
- ☑ All employees have signed a policy acknowledgement
- ☑ No-vaping signage posted at all premises entrances and common areas
- ☑ Employment contracts for new hires include TVCA-compliant anti-vaping clause
- ☑ Supervisor briefing conducted on detection, documentation, and escalation
- ☑ Ad-hoc inspection protocol established for high-risk areas (lockers, breakrooms, car parks)
- ☑ Confidential reporting channel in place for employees to flag violations
- ☑ HR aware of MOM notification obligations if a foreign employee is charged or convicted
- ☑ Disciplinary tiers documented and consistent with Employment Act principles
- ☑ For dormitory operators: inspection schedule integrated into dormitory management SOPs
The complete guide to managing a MOM-compliant foreign workforce — including pass renewals, levy management, and quota compliance — can be found in our Employment Pass COMPASS compliance guide. For companies also navigating incorporation and corporate compliance obligations, Raffles Corporate Services provides integrated corporate secretarial and HR advisory services.
Need Expert Guidance on HR and Work Pass Compliance?
The TVCA is one of several pieces of Singapore employment legislation that have been updated in 2026 — alongside the Workplace Fairness Act, MOM’s revised Employment Claims process, and new S Pass salary benchmarks effective 1 July 2026. Keeping up with this fast-moving regulatory environment while managing the day-to-day demands of a foreign workforce is challenging. Singapore Employment Agency — the consumer brand of Little Big Employment Agency Pte Ltd (MOM Licence No. 19C9790) — provides licensed employment agency services for Employment Pass, S Pass, Work Permit, and PR applications, as well as employer compliance advisory.
Reach out to our team to discuss your organisation’s TVCA readiness and broader MOM compliance posture.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency