Forum: Show the young they’re not alone as they battle vaping
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I refer to recent articles in The Straits Times highlighting the vaping crisis. What began as a trendy alternative to smoking among the young is now becoming a public health crisis with potentially severe social consequences.
Vapes are now being laced with substances such as etomidate, further endangering the health of our youth and leading them towards a lifetime of addiction.
As an organisation that strives to uplift youth, Allkin Singapore echoes these concerns. Through our work, we have seen how youth have adopted a permissive attitude towards vaping, as they often use it as a coping mechanism to manage negative emotions such as stress and boredom.
We have encountered youth with no history of smoking who began vaping and are now at risk of substance addiction. However, as the ST articles rightly noted, enforcement alone is not enough.
While it is critical to deter illegal distribution and use, we must also ask: What drives a young person to pick up a vape in the first place? And more importantly, who is walking alongside them as they try to put it down?
Many avoid seeking help from their schools, for fear of being punished or charged. That’s why supportive, non-judgmental interventions are key. From our experiences working with youth on smoking cessation, we found that engaging in group-based activities and one-to-one counselling were effective in enabling them to manage their behaviours.
Our approach is rooted in the belief that young people don’t just need to be stopped; they also need to be supported. They need safe spaces to talk about what they are going through – about stress, anxiety and identity. They need adults who will listen without judgment and offer empathy and guidance.
As a society, we must respond to the vaping crisis not only with punitive measures but also with compassion, upstream prevention and community-based interventions. Helping youth take that first brave step away from vaping begins with showing them that they are not alone.
Moagana Rani Head of Youth Service Allkin Singapore
