The Indonesian Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) announced it will take stringent enforcement actions against vape products found to contain ketamine. Director General Taruna Ikrar emphasized that regulatory focus lies not on whether products are cigarettes or vapes, but on whether they contain harmful substances. Recently, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has repeatedly seized ketamine and other novel psychoactive substances suspected of being used in vapes, indicating the rapid spread of this issue.
Key Takeaways
- Enforcement Authority: BPOM confirms its right to immediately pursue legal action against ketamine-laced vapes.
- Ketamine Risks: While ketamine has medical applications, it is increasingly abused for recreational and non-medical purposes.
- Product Issues: Ketamine-laced vapes are engineered to produce aromatic or psychoactive effects.
- BNN Seizures: Includes 3 kilograms of ketamine powder from France, 1,860 vape cartridges, and the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA.
- Spread Trend: BNN warns novel psychoactive substances are proliferating rapidly and extensively across Indonesia.
- Market Testing: BNN has tested 187 vape samples, with results available for 107; the remainder are still under analysis.
Indonesian Food and Drug Authority: Crackdown on Ketamine-Containing Vape Products
August 28, 2025 — According to TEMPO, Indonesia’s Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) confirmed its authority to enforce strict measures against vape products containing ketamine. Director General Taruna Ikrar stated at BPOM headquarters in Central Jakarta on August 27 that the regulation hinges not on whether products are vapes or cigarettes, but on their hazardous substance content.
Taruna emphasized that while ketamine is used for medical anesthesia during surgeries, its abuse risks are increasingly evident, with the substance being misused for recreational purposes and even non-medical applications like tattooing. BPOM has classified ketamine as a “specified drug” under new regulations, meaning any vape product testing positive for ketamine may face immediate legal proceedings.
BPOM further noted that some ketamine-infused vapes are designed with specific scents or psychoactive effects, further increasing abuse risks. The agency also regulates cigarette advertising and health warnings to ensure public safety.
This statement follows actions by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN). BNN recently seized counterfeit ketamine intended for vape cartridges. In one case, law enforcement intercepted 80 milliliters of synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA and one vape cartridge shipped from Malaysia to Pandeglang, Banten Province. Another case, they seized 3 kilograms of ketamine powder suspected for e-liquid production from France, along with 1,860 vape cartridges.
In an August 22 statement. BNN warned that the proliferation of new psychoactive substances is spreading rapidly and extensively across Indonesia. To counter this trend, BNN has collected 187 commercially available vape samples for testing. Results for 107 samples have been released, with the remainder still undergoing laboratory analysis.
