Teen caught vaping? For desperate parents, a supportive approach makes all the difference
Winning the war on youth vaping requires a ‘safe harbour’ where desperate parents can seek help without shame.
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In Singapore's war against vaping, there is a growing recognition that youth addiction cannot be addressed through punishment alone, says the writer.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Teo Yik Ying
The first person to discover that a teenager is vaping in Singapore is usually not a police officer, but a parent or fellow student who finds vapes hidden in school bags, pencil cases or the bedroom.
The immediate reaction is often fear and uncertainty: Will seeking help get the teenager in trouble with the law, bringing punishment and stigma? And if the teenager is already addicted to nicotine, what can they do before things spiral further out of control?
