Singapore has launched a crackdown on vapes, eight years after banning the product, moving in lockstep with several countries around the world in clamping down on e-cigarettes.

The campaign comes as a rising number of teenagers in the country are found to have been using k-pods - vapes that are laced with the drug etomidate, an anaesthetic agent used in hospitals. The new penalties include fines, mandatory rehab, and caning for suppliers of k-pods.

Can Singapore succeed in stamping out all types of vape products? Is it able to sustain an all-out effort to crack down on vapers in the country? On this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi talks to two BBC journalists based in Singapore, Tessa Wong and Derek Cai, to understand the reason behind the city-state’s recent clampdown on vaping.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Read more about Singapore's vaping crackdown on the BBC here: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3387lrz5g4o

Get in touch: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk

Yoon Suk Yeol - former South Korean president - is sentenced to life in prison but avoids the death penalty, in an insurrection case that has gripped the nation. He was found guilty of leading an insurrection linked to his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024.

Prosecutors called it an attempt to subvert the constitutional order by deploying troops around parliament and targeting political opponents.

In this bonus episode of Asia Specific, we examine why his attempt to impose martial law disturbed so many South Koreans and if the sentence will end a turbulent chapter in the country’s political history.

Host Mariko Oi is joined by Cho Hee-kyung, Professor of Law at Hongik University in Seoul, plus we hear from the BBC's Seoul correspondent Jake Kwon.

This episode was recorded on 19 February.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends. Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people. Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter. Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt Get in touch: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk

Chinese workers officially get nine days off for this Lunar New Year – the longest stretch of public holiday on record. But, as millions move around the country in the annual travel rush, they’ve found there’s a catch. Some of those days must be made up by working weekends. Many workers are guaranteed just five days of paid annual leave, far fewer than in other major economies. And the work culture has sparked debate around burnout and work-life balance. In this episode, host Mariko Oi speaks to the BBC’s China correspondent Stephen McDonell in Beijing and Fan Wang from BBC News in Singapore. They examine China’s work leave issue and if the culture around it can change.

Asia Specific unpacks Asia Pacific stories by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends. Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people. Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter. Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt Get in touch: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk