Vaping gathers steam among Singaporeans across the Causeway

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  Yahoo Newsroom - One of the shops at Johor Bahru's Pasar Karat, selling vape and vape-related products.

Vape smoking seems to be gathering steam among Singaporeans who are getting their fix in Malaysia to get around the import ban on such products.

Singapore bans the import of imitation tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes such as vape. In Malaysia, the government is considering whether to ban vape smoking.

Demand for the tobacco-less products in Malaysia has surged in recent years, with the industry now worth an estimated half-a-billion ringgit ($100 million).

Vape is a kind of electronic cigarette that typically comes in a box-like battery powered device, with a tube of liquid attached to it. This liquid, commonly referred to as juice, usually contains a combination of a nicotine solution and a flavouring solution. A typical flavouring solution is made of propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin - the former gives a sweeter taste with fewer vapors, while the latter gives a less sweet taste with more vapor.

In Johor Bahru alone, there are more than 20 vape stores. Many customers flock to vape stores located at a night market called “Pasar Karat” at Jalan Segget, which is a 10-minute drive from the Johor Causeway.

Yahoo Singapore recently spoke to some of the owners and staff from several vape stores in JB to find out about their Singaporean customers. Singaporeans spend about RM200 (SGD65) each per visit, they said.

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