After her 28-year-old son was retrenched from his job as a technician in June last year, he became addicted to using "Kpods", a drug-laced vape. 

He'd also twice threatened to jump from their HDB block with his five-year-old son, said his mum.

Wong (not her real name), 58, told Shin Min Daily News that her son had been struggling with financial issues and started using vapes after being told by friends that it would help him to sleep better. 

Due to monetary issues, her son also became estranged with his wife and are now in the midst of a divorce, according to Wong. 

Wong said that her son found work sometime in August last year, but this only fuelled her son's addiction as he had to work the night shift and could not fall asleep in the day.

"He could smoke up to five Kpods a day at home, and each costs about $85," Wong told Shin Min.

She added that after using (Kpods), he would walk unsteadily and easily lose control of his emotions. He had even hit his head against the wall several times, said Wong. 

Called the police on him more than 8 times

What pains Wong the most, is that her grandson has been a victim of her son's actions.

Recounting an incident in December last year, Wong said she and her son quarrelled after the latter asked to borrow money.  

"Grabbing his son and a ladder, he headed straight to the corridor and threatened to jump down," recalled Wong.

Along with her daughter and a male neighbour, the trio managed to restrain him until police arrived. Wong said that her son was arrested but later released after about an hour. 

Wong's heartbreak did not end there.

On Aug 15, her sonrepeated the same threat if Wong did not give him $1,000. According to Wong, her son had used Kpods prior to the incident.

Wong said that she has called the police on more than eight occasions. 

"Each time I make a report, they would ask me to record evidence of my son using Kpods," lamented Wong. "I don't dare record any evidence due to his foul temper. I'm afraid he might beat me up," she said.

This fear drives Wong to bring her grandson to wait outside a police station each time she notices her son in a dazed state. She worriesthat her grandson is already scarred and traumatised from being hit by his father. 

'My only hope is that he will pick himself up again'

Adding to their woes, Wong said that her son has also picked up gambling, racking up loan shark debts that she is still helping to pay off.

Wong estimates that she has helped to pay off about $30,000 worth of debts. She is also helping to make monthly repayments of about $1,000. 

"The loan sharks may be eyeing sales proceeds from our jumbo flat. He has been persuading me to sell the flat so that we can buy a new flat together," Wong told Shin Min. 

Wong added that she is unwilling to sell off the flat as her eldest son and daughter are still staying with her.

Wong said there have also been times where her son has been violent towards her, with police having to intervene.

Their problems don’t seem to end there. Wong suspects that her son may have recently become involved in peddling vapes. She claims that strangers have been visiting her son at their home since July of this year.

For now, Wong is still holding out hopethat her son will change.

“My only hope is that he will pick himself up again and take good care of his son. Other than that, I have no other wishes,” said Wong. 

Intensified enforcement, harsher penalties

Etomidate, which is increasingly being abused through e-vaporiser pods (Kpods), will be listed as an illegal drug from Sept 1.

The anaesthetic agent, which is classified under the Poisons Act, will be reclassified as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. This will enable tougher actions against suppliers and users of etomidate e-vaporisers.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) have continued to intensify enforcement actions against vaping offences.

In a media statement on Tuesday (Aug 26), HSA said that more than 3,700 persons were caught and fined for the possession or use of e-vaporisers between April 1 and June 30.

Home Team agencies such as the policeand Immigration and Checkpoints Authority have also intensified checks as part of the government's efforts against vaping.

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Need support around vaping or addiction?

To report vaping offences: Contact Health Sciences Authority’s Tobacco Regulation Branch at (9am to 9pm daily) or www.go.gov.sg/reportvape

To quit vaping: Contact Health Promotion Board’s I Quit programme at (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday) or https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/iquit/e-cig/.

To surrender devices, without penalty: Locate the nearest vape disposal bin near you at https://www.hsa.gov.sg/tobacco-regulation/bin-vapes.

For more addiction or substance abuse support:

National Mindline: 1771, (WhatsApp) or https://mindline.sg/fsmh

Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association:

SINGAPORE HELPLINES

Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800

Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222

Silver Ribbon: 6386-1928

editor@asiaone.com