Kpod user who drove against traffic, causing crash, jailed in first such case since etomidate listed as drug
The victim saw Ng Bing Hong’s vehicle approaching his and reversed but could not avoid a collision.
A vaporiser and pod found on Ng Bing Hong’s seat (left). (Photos: Ng Bing Hong/CNA)
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SINGAPORE: A man who smoked Kpods, or vaporiser pods containing etomidate, drove dangerously against traffic, narrowly missing two motorcyclists and colliding with another vehicle.
Ng Bing Hong, 37, was sentenced on Monday (Jun 29) to 15 months’ jail and banned from driving for four years. He was also ordered to pay compensation of S$490.50 (US$379) to the victim.
This is the second case where an offender was convicted of driving under the influence of etomidate, and the first such case after etomidate was listed as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act following enhancements to the law.
Ng pleaded guilty to three charges, including driving under the influence of etomidate, dangerous driving and possessing two Kpods.
A fourth charge was taken into consideration.
THE CASE
The court heard that Ng had purchased two Kpods for S$80 from a supplier on Telegram and smoked them using a vaporiser.
At about 8.50pm on Jan 3 this year, shortly after smoking Kpods, Ng drove his car along Pasir Ris Drive 1 towards Pasir Ris Drive 8 and turned right.
He turned into the wrong lane as he momentarily lost consciousness and went onto an adjacent carriageway along Pasir Ris Drive 6, against the flow of traffic.
The victim saw Ng’s car approaching him at a slow speed and braked and sounded his horn, but Ng continued driving forward, narrowly missing two motorcyclists.
One of them kicked Ng’s car to warn him that he was driving against the flow of traffic, but Ng kept going.
The victim reversed his car to avoid a collision, but Ng’s car hit his vehicle, scratching it and ripping off a small portion of its front.
No one was injured. The victim spent S$490.50 to repair his vehicle.
The victim called the police, who found vape-related items in Ng’s car.
A further search uncovered vaporisers and pods on Ng, and etomidate was found in his blood.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Darren Ang said in court that etomidate is a hypnotic that is meant to be intravenously injected under medical supervision to induce general anaesthesia. It is not meant to be inhaled through vapes without careful dosage considerations.
“When inhaled, etomidate can result in psychiatric symptoms and other medical issues, some of which have been linked to traffic accidents and unnatural deaths,” said Mr Ang.
He noted the “sheer prevalence” of etomidate-related offences, saying that authorities have caught and penalised 2,589 people for possession and use of vapes, of which 377 were Kpod offenders from January to March this year.
Between 2023 and 2025, there were 38 traffic accidents linked to drug and etomidate use, of which 19 were fatal, and of these, nine involved etomidate, said Mr Ang, citing a Straits Times report.
Source: CNA/ll
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