SINGAPORE: On Jan 22 (Thursday), a person from america who was caught with a vape containing tetrahydrocannabinol, a Class A managed drug in Singapore, was sentenced to 12 months and two weeks in jail.
Police additionally discovered chocolate containing a substance present in psychedelic mushrooms after they searched the house of 36-year-old Harting Chitty Harold Ivan final yr, a CNA report mentioned.
In line with his lawyer, he had not taken the medication for leisure however as a method to take care of main depressive dysfunction and post-traumatic stress dysfunction.
Harting, who labored as a human useful resource supervisor in Singapore on the time he was apprehended by the authorities, entered a responsible plea to 1 rely of drug consumption and one other for possession, with 4 different drug-related prices considered for his sentencing.
The obligatory minimal time period for drug possession in Singapore is 12 months. The prosecution, nevertheless, requested for 13 months’ jail for Harting, arguing that he might have sought different methods to take care of his well being points.
District Decide Lim Tse Haw agreed with the prosecution that Harting ought to obtain greater than the obligatory minimal jail time, given that there have been different prices towards him.
How Harting was caught
On April 16, 2025, a bundle from one other nation addressed to the unit the place Harting lived at Marina One Residences was flagged by officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), who believed it could include medication.
In it have been quite a few vapes, in addition to chocolate, cookies, and creatine gummies.
CNB officers went to Harting’s residence on the identical day to arrest him after they seized three chocolate bars in addition to a vape.
Whereas the chocolate contained psilocin, a substance in most psychedelic mushrooms and the vape contained the Class A managed drug tetrahydrocannabinol.
Harting later mentioned that he had obtained the vape that was seized in January 2025. In line with Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yong Ngee, when he was pressured, he would use this specific vape.
When his urine was examined, it was discovered to be optimistic for cannabinol.
In line with Harting’s lawyer, Hong Qibin, after his consumer was arrested, Harting joined Narcotics Nameless and went to a clinic for assist so he might stop his drug dependancy.
The choose didn’t settle for Mr Hong’s argument that Harting took the medication for medical causes, underlining that possessing and utilizing these substances is towards the legislation in Singapore. Furthermore, he famous that Harting had been a “informal drug abuser.”
For possessing a managed drug, an individual discovered responsible might find yourself in jail for so long as 20 years, be made to pay a superb of S$20,000, or each. For consuming medication, the utmost penalties are the identical.
More durable on vaping
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned in his Nationwide Day Rally speech on Aug 17, 2025, that Singapore would start treating vaping as a “drug problem” and that enforcement efforts could be enhanced.
The rising variety of younger individuals who use them has been a trigger for concern, particularly since some vapes have been discovered to include addictive or dangerous substances. A few of the vape pods that officers from the Well being Sciences Authority (HSA) seized final yr have been discovered to include etomidate, an anaesthetic which may trigger dependancy and bodily dependence.
On Aug 24, Well being Minister Ong Ye Kung mentioned that from Sep 1, etomidate could be listed within the Misuse of Medication Act. This implies the substance is now listed as a Class C drug, making the visitors, manufacture, import, export, possession, and consumption of etomidate unlawful. /TISG
Learn additionally: 41 weeks’ jail for M’sian man caught in warehouse with hundreds of vapes
