Singapore deploys new saliva test kit that detects drug abuse within 10 minutes at border checkpoints, roadblocks

SINGAPORE, Feb 28 — To deter Singaporeans and permanent residents from consuming drugs overseas, the authorities have since January rolled out saliva test kits at border checkpoints to detect drug abusers, Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim said yesterday (February 27).

Earlier this month, the Central Narcotics Bureau of Singapore (CNB) and the police also began trialling the use of these saliva test kits at joint roadblock operations, since drug abusers also pose risks to other road users, said Associate Professor Faishal.

Holding up a sample of the test kit during yesterday's parliamentary debate on his ministry's budget, Assoc Prof Faishal said such kits are “light, compact and easy to use”, and thus offer a more efficient way to detect drug abusers.

The saliva test offers a quick, portable and non-invasive means of drug consumption testing via oral fluid, said MHA in a statement released yesterday.

It takes an average of 10 minutes to complete the test, which is done using an on-site preliminary screening tool that helps officers assess potential drug use.

Those who test positive are then subjected to further investigations, such as a urine test.

“This additional testing method will complement and enhance CNB's current drug detection capabilities,” said MHA.

At present, CNB is able to conduct urine drug tests on travellers entering Singapore to detect any recent use of drugs. Hair tests can also be used to detect any drug consumption that happened several months ago.

Responding to queries from TODAY, a CNB spokesperson said that before the saliva tests were rolled out, the authorities would have had to escort all suspected drug users to the CNB office, where a urine test would be conducted.

“This process takes significantly longer and requires more resources as it involves transporting the suspects to another location, and the procurement of urine specimens, and some of the suspects might eventually test negative,” said the spokesman.

TODAY has also reached out to MHA to ask about the number of positive drug results that the saliva tests have yielded.

Frequent drug education

Assoc Prof Faishal noted that the use of drugs has continued to rise globally.

For instance, the World Drug Report 2022 showed that around 284 million people globally used drugs in 2020, an increase of 26 per cent from 2010.

Last year, Thailand became the first Asian country to decriminalise the use of cannabis, also known as marijuana.

Assoc Prof Faishal said that while the drug situation remains under control in Singapore, MHA remains concerned about drug abuse among youths, with about half of new abusers last year being below 30.

“While most youths support a tough stance against drugs, some younger Singaporeans take a more permissive attitude, especially towards cannabis,” said Assoc Prof Faishal.

He said that the ministry will continue to strengthen its “harm prevention approach to combat drug abuse”.

The CNB already works closely with community partners to conduct preventive drug education on the harmful effects of drugs.

Assoc Prof Faishal said CNB will expand its education outreach in schools, working with the Ministry of Education to ensure all primary and secondary schools conduct at least one preventive drug education programme annually.

Secondary schools that did not have drug education engagements in the past two years will conduct at least one engagement this year, he added.

With social media platform TikTok becoming increasing popular among youths, CNB also launched its own account on the platform last year. The bureau now regularly posts short videos of its drug enforcement efforts, said Assoc Prof Faishal.

Apart from the use of saliva tests, he added that other enforcement measures will also be put in place to counter the use of drugs, noting that the pace in which new psychoactive substances are appearing has “often outpaced authorities' ability to control them”.

On Friday, MHA tabled a bill to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act to regulate such psychoactive substances based on their capacity to produce psychoactive effects, rather than their chemical structure alone.

“This (proposed law) will empower CNB to take swift enforcement actions against illicit activities involving new psychoactive substances,” said Assoc Prof Faishal. ― TODAY