logo
M'sian woman jailed for pocketing over $38k to spend on Chinese idols

M'sian woman jailed for pocketing over $38k to spend on Chinese idols

New Paper3 days ago
A 20-year-old Malaysian was sentenced to four months' jail on July 10 after misappropriating more than $38,000 from her employer to donate to "Chinese idols" on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Chew Yu En initially claimed she had used the money to repay her father's debts, but later admitted to spending it on her idols on the social media platform, according to court documents reported by CNA.
She pleaded guilty to one count of dishonest misappropriation by an employee. A second charge of making false entries on payment vouchers was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Chew worked as a clerk at Sin Le Heng Recycling from June 2024 to Jan 2025, earning a monthly salary of $2,300. She was in Singapore on a work permit and rented a room with her boyfriend.
According to CNA, Chew's only family member in Singapore was her uncle, who is a permanent resident.
The company she worked for bought recyclable materials from customers, who would have their items weighed at its warehouse.
Warehouse staff would collect the items and issue a note indicating the weight and quantity of the materials. The customer would then head to the counter with the note and receive a payment voucher issued by a clerk.
After the customer signed the voucher, the clerk would pay the stated amount in cash, which was kept in a box at the office counter.
When the cash ran low, Chew would notify her boss, who would either hand her the money to top up the box or do so himself after office hours.
Around December last year, while her boss was abroad, Chew worked alone in the office most of the time.
According to court documents cited by Shin Min Daily News, Chew took money from the cash box on 42 occasions between Dec 2, 2024, and Jan 9, 2025 - with amounts ranging from $65 to more than $2,000.
In total, she took $38,315.30 from the box.
To conceal her acts, Chew created false payment vouchers and signed them herself.
On Jan 8, the company director discovered discrepancies in the accounts and confronted Chew the next day.
She admitted to her acts, and the case was reported to the police.
Chew has not returned the money taken.
The prosecutor sought four to six months' jail, citing similar past cases.
Chew was given four months' jail.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Singapore: UN
Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Singapore: UN

New Paper

time14 hours ago

  • New Paper

Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Singapore: UN

Over several weeks in 2025, a woman tried to get her 19-year-old son arrested over his addiction to drug-laced e-vaporisers, specifically Kpods. The once-active teenager had become withdrawn since November 2024, when he started puffing Kpods, which are vapes laced with etomidate, a powerful anaesthetic. He also started cutting his own face and arms with a knife. "We saw many videos of people on TikTok saying Kpods can make a person suicidal, so we tried to stop him," Susan (not her real name) told The Straits Times, adding that her husband decided to install security cameras at home. They saw him on video stumbling out of his room. He was struggling to walk. "I spoke to him the next day to ask him what happened, and he said he had injured his legs while lion-dancing, so I did not suspect too much," she said. Over the next few days, they noticed their son would change between five and 10 pairs of shorts throughout the night. Susan suspected he had lost the ability to control his bladder whenever he was high on etomidate, which various reports said can also result in hand tremors, unsteadiness, sluggishness and mental confusion. Desperate to get him help, she reached out to the authorities and told them her son was using Kpods. Currently, those found guilty of consumption of a controlled drug can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to $20,000, or both. She was told etomidate is not a Class A controlled drug. At most, her son would be slapped with a fine for using a vape. She showed ST a phone log of calls she made to different agencies. In Singapore, etomidate is governed by the Poisons Act. A licence is required for its importation or sale. Those found in possession or found using pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $10,000, or both. Looming crisis There is evidence to show that vapes sold in Asia are increasingly laced with synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products like etomidate. In Malaysia, where vaping is allowed in some states, the Health Ministry revealed that 65.6 per cent of vape liquids seized in 2023 and 2024 contained dangerous drugs. Previous reports revealed that a significant number of vapes seized in Singapore had originated from Malaysia. Vape pods mixed with etomidate, or Kpods, reared their head in Singapore in March 2024, when the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) told ST it had detected a case of vapes containing ketamine and three cases of vapes containing etomidate. The HSA raided an industrial unit and seized more than 8,700 vapes and its components worth around $137,000, including etomidate-laced devices. In April, Singapore got its first indication that young people here were using Kpods after a 13-year-old girl was found behaving erratically outside the State Courts while puffing on an e-cigarette. A subsequent raid of her home found that she had an etomidate-laced device in her possession. Since then, videos have emerged online of young people behaving erratically, allegedly after using Kpods. In the first half of 2025, HSA detected 28 cases involving Kpods, up from 10 cases recorded in 2024. According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published in May, products sold in Singapore as Kpods have been found to contain either etomidate or ketamine, which is a Class A controlled drug. The UNODC report describes a looming crisis in South-east Asia and East Asia, where drug syndicates and organised crime groups, which have converged, are lacing vapes with synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products like etomidate. These groups are using their combined resources and expertise to constantly change the formulas for synthetic drugs or new psychoactive substances (NPS). In general, NPS are defined under anti-drug laws by their synthetic formulas. Drug-testing tools use the formulas to identify an NPS. The UNODC report said etomidate first appeared in significant amounts in China after synthetic cannabinoids were scheduled as a controlled drug there. "In recent years, China has reported an increase in the illicit use of pharmaceutical products as drug suppliers seek substitutes for mainstream drugs (methamphetamine and heroin), sometimes to get around emerging drug controls of NPS," said the report. It noted that etomidate - a hypnotic agent - was found to be added to e-liquids for use with vaping products following the class scheduling of synthetic cannabinoids in 2021. "Symptoms of etomidate overuse primarily include intoxication-like effects, hand tremors, unsteadiness, as well as anxiety, panic, sluggishness, and mental confusion, and its use has been associated with public safety accidents," the report said. Mr Inshik Sim, lead analyst at the UNODC's office for South-east Asia and the Pacific, told ST that etomidate use in the region exploded during Covid-19, when the pandemic disrupted trade routes and stifled the supply chain for organised crime groups and their drug trade. As drug trafficking syndicates struggled to move methamphetamine from Myanmar into China, syndicates switched to clinical-grade chemicals. "Criminal groups needed to find an alternative. Etomidate, which is used in clinical practice, really started to appeal to some of these users," said Mr Sim. The drug was initially mixed into e-cigarettes, which are devices that resemble the shape and size of a cigarette, and later incorporated into vape oils. Since its introduction, Mr Sim said the UNODC has received reports of a significant rise in Kpod use throughout South-east Asia and East Asia. "There's a high probability that such products will gain more popularity in the region - similar to ketamine, which did not start off as a major drug in South-east Asia, but has gained in popularity," added Mr Sim. The UNODC report said in East and South-east Asia, vaping products were commonly found to contain synthetic cannabinoids. "However, following the class scheduling of synthetic cannabinoids in China in 2021, there has been an increase in other substances detected in vaping products. "In addition to etomidate, countries have also reported detecting ketamine and methamphetamine. "Of note, Thailand has reported the emergence of vaping products containing ketamine, sometimes in combination with methamphetamine or etomidate, called 'Kpods'," the report said. These drug-laced vapes are already in Singapore. On June 14, 2024, HSA found 14 vapes suspected to contain tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis. Youth market Hong Kong has been grappling with a Kpod problem among its young people, who refer to the drug as "space oil". Banners warning against the dangers of "space oil" in Hong Kong. ST PHOTO: MAGDALENE FUNG In 2024, public hospitals in the city treated more than 130 suspected space oil abusers, three of whom died. A quarter of the cases involved young people under 18. In February, the government listed space oil as a dangerous drug and banned four substances often used to make the narcotic - etomidate and its three chemically similar analogues metomidate, propoxate and isopropoxate. The UNODC's Mr Sim said organised crime groups have been adapting to evolving demand, particularly the rising popularity of vaping among young people. "In many countries, there is already an established market for vaping. Organised crime groups understand that. "They also understand that those in this group may not necessarily want to inject themselves with heroin or methamphetamine, so why not mix it into the vapes if it can bring more buyers into the market," said Mr Sim. Drug-laced vaporisers are packaged as colourful products, and marketed on social media platforms as being harmless, with zero risk of detection. Mr Sim said organised crime groups are also using vapes to transport and distribute synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products. Cannabis, for example, produces a distinctive smell that is difficult to hide. But synthetic cannabinoids in vapes are virtually undetectable, said Mr Sim. The rising popularity of such laced vapes has led to the introduction of new drugs in vapes. On June 19, the Malaysian authorities uncovered a criminal syndicate distributing vape pods laced with synthetic cocaine. Nearly 5,000 vape cartridges containing some 9.42 litres of cocaine were seized. The syndicate rented condominium units in Kuala Lumpur to pack drugs in vape form, before sending them to other countries. Three Singaporean men were among those arrested. The UNODC said suppliers were also combining different synthetic substances within a single vaping product, the concentration and mixture of which remain unknown to users. The usage of such products could lead to episodes of overdose and dependence, it added. Videos have since emerged online, purportedly showing young people shaking uncontrollably while puffing on a vape. Dr Clare Anne Fong, an associate consultant in the Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Alexandra Hospital and National University Hospital, said that while etomidate on its own is already addictive, pairing it with nicotine can result in a greater hook. "When nicotine is inhaled with etomidate - which alters one's level of consciousness, similar to a high - Kpods are likely more addictive than traditional vapes," said Dr Fong. Dr Sharen Tian, a family physician at Raffles Medical, said repeated use of etomidate could "result in users seeking the dissociative effects, thereby increasing the risk of dependency". "The clandestine nature of such products, often marketed as Kpods or space oil, exacerbates the issue, especially among youths," said Dr Tian. Assistant Professor Yvette van der Eijk from the School of Public Health at NUS said misinformation on vaping is rife. She said much of this is due to studies funded by the vaping industry, which are often biased and conclude that vaping is safe. "One challenge is that people, especially youths, have access to a lot of misleading information, and need to be taught how to discern between information that misrepresents the harms and information that is accurate," said Dr van der Eijk. Vaping has been banned in Singapore since 2018. Despite that, previous reports state that HSA had seized $41 million worth of vapes from January 2024 to March 2025. That is nearly fivefold the reported value seized from 2019 to end-2023, according to numbers compiled by ST. Many students, from primary schools to institutes of higher learning, have been reported for possessing or using vapes. There were 2,000 such cases in 2024, up from 800 cases in 2022 and 900 cases in 2023. Vaping is not just a social ill. Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim said in Parliament on Jan 7 that several studies have linked vaping to an increase in risk of drug use. Associate Professor Faishal said that the HSA and Central Narcotics Bureau have come across cases of people using vapes to consume controlled drugs. But he added that such cases still form a minority of cases here. Vape zombies Susan said her son's behaviour resembled those of young people, caught in a recent video on social media, who were stumbling as they walked near Punggol Waterway. She said he was constantly twitching and shaking, even when he was not vaping. "We were very worried about him and tried to talk nicely to him. At that point, he cried and promised to stop," said Susan. He broke his promise before too long. "He lost about 10kg within a month. He totally changed into another person. I couldn't recognise him any more," said Susan, who added that he also became more aggressive and agitated. "He started lying to us, cheating me of my money to purchase more Kpods. He would even ask for money from his grandma, his uncle and aunts," she added. It ended with his arrest over an unrelated offence earlier in 2025. "I really didn't know what to do. I didn't know where to put him, to help him end his addiction," said Susan. Helplines Mental well-being Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours) Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1 Women's Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm) Counselling Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555 Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366 We Care Community Services: 3165-8017 Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293 Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990 Online resources

Jail for man, 60, who left for M'sia in 1990s to avoid NS, used fake passports to travel in and out of S'pore
Jail for man, 60, who left for M'sia in 1990s to avoid NS, used fake passports to travel in and out of S'pore

Straits Times

time14 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Jail for man, 60, who left for M'sia in 1990s to avoid NS, used fake passports to travel in and out of S'pore

Jail for man, 60, who left for M'sia in 1990s to avoid NS, used fake passports to travel in and out of S'pore Nadine Chua The Straits Times July 11, 2025 A Singaporean who was trying to avoid his national service (NS) obligations in the 1990s used fake Malaysian passports to enter and exit the Republic to conceal his identity from the authorities. Over a span of five years from 2006 to 2011, Low Eng Kheng, 60, used the fake passports 876 times at various checkpoints in Singapore. On July 11, he was sentenced to eight months and 18 weeks' jail after pleading guilty to five charges under the Immigration Act. The court heard that in the early 1990s, Low left Singapore for Malaysia as he did not wish to complete his obligations as an operationally ready national serviceman (NSman). He remained in Malaysia and did not return to Singapore, and his Singapore passport expired in June 2000. In 2006, he wanted to travel to Singapore to visit his family as his mother's health was deteriorating, but was afraid of using his actual Singapore identity as he believed that he was wanted by the authorities for not fulfilling his NSman obligations. Thus, he paid an unknown individual RM45,000 (S$13,600) for a Malaysian passport with his photograph but the particulars of one "Chong Poh Yin" and a birthdate that was not his. In the subsequent years between 2008 and 2010, Low obtained three more Malaysian passports with his photograph but which bore the particulars of "Chong". He paid the same unknown individual RM10,000 for each passport. Low used the first passport to enter Singapore on Aug 7, 2006. After that, he frequently travelled between Singapore and Malaysia using the four passports. He last arrived in Singapore using one of the passports on May 2, 2011. Between March and May 2011, he also gave false statements on his disembarkation forms to immigration officers on 59 occasions. These included his name, his date of birth and country of birth. In September 2023, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) began investigations into Low as he had been found to be someone with multiple identities. It was not mentioned in court documents how his crimes came to light. Low was arrested in August 2024. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES Deputy Superintendent Ganeshvaran, senior prosecution officer from ICA, highlighted to the court that it was a conscious decision on Low's part to run away from Singapore as he did not want to complete his NSman obligations, and to subsequently conceal his true identity to avoid the authorities. In mitigation, defence lawyer Thomas Tham said his client did not use the Malaysian passports to enter Singapore to commit offences. "Instead, he came to Singapore as a driver to send people around to try to make a living for his wife and kids. The sheer number of times he used the passports was because of the nature of his job as a driver," said Mr Tham. In a statement on July 11, an ICA spokesman said that since July 2020, multi-modal biometric clearance systems have been in place at the checkpoints to better detect and deny entry to those with multiple identities or impersonated identities. All automated and manual immigration lanes and manual counters at Singapore's land, sea and air checkpoints have been equipped with iris and facial scanners, said ICA, adding that the two biometric identifiers, in addition to fingerprints as a secondary biometric identifier, provide a highly accurate way of authenticating travellers' identities. "ICA will not hesitate to take firm action against travellers who attempt to enter Singapore using an impersonated identity or an identity different from their previous trips to Singapore," said the spokesman. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:

Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Asia including Singapore: UN, Singapore News
Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Asia including Singapore: UN, Singapore News

AsiaOne

time18 hours ago

  • AsiaOne

Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Asia including Singapore: UN, Singapore News

SINGAPORE - Over several weeks in 2025, a woman tried to get her 19-year-old son arrested over his addiction to drug-laced e-vaporisers, specifically Kpods. The once-active teenager had become withdrawn since November 2024, when he started puffing Kpods, which are vapes laced with etomidate, a powerful anaesthetic. He also started cutting his own face and arms with a knife. "We saw many videos of people on TikTok saying Kpods can make a person suicidal, so we tried to stop him," Susan (not her real name) told The Straits Times, adding that her husband decided to install security cameras at home. They saw him on video stumbling out of his room. He was struggling to walk. "I spoke to him the next day to ask him what happened, and he said he had injured his legs while lion-dancing, so I did not suspect too much," she said. Over the next few days, they noticed their son would change between five and 10 pairs of shorts throughout the night. Susan suspected he had lost the ability to control his bladder whenever he was high on etomidate, which various reports said can also result in hand tremors, unsteadiness, sluggishness and mental confusion. Desperate to get him help, she reached out to the authorities and told them her son was using Kpods. Currently, those found guilty of consumption of a controlled drug can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to $20,000, or both. She was told etomidate is not a Class A controlled drug. At most, her son would be slapped with a fine for using a vape. She showed ST a phone log of calls she made to different agencies. In Singapore, etomidate is governed by the Poisons Act. A licence is required for its importation or sale. Those found in possession or found using pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $10,000, or both. Looming crisis There is evidence to show that vapes sold in Asia are increasingly laced with synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products like etomidate. In Malaysia, where vaping is allowed in some states, the Health Ministry revealed that 65.6 per cent of vape liquids seized in 2023 and 2024 contained dangerous drugs. Previous reports revealed that a significant number of vapes seized in Singapore had originated from Malaysia. Vape pods mixed with etomidate, or Kpods, reared their head in Singapore in March 2024, when the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) told ST it had detected a case of vapes containing ketamine and three cases of vapes containing etomidate. The HSA raided an industrial unit and seized more than 8,700 vapes and its components worth around $137,000, including etomidate-laced devices. In April, Singapore got its first indication that young people here were using Kpods after a 13-year-old girl was found behaving erratically outside the State Courts while puffing on an e-cigarette. A subsequent raid of her home found that she had an etomidate-laced device in her possession. Since then, videos have emerged online of young people behaving erratically, allegedly after using Kpods. [[nid:719505]] In the first half of 2025, HSA detected 28 cases involving Kpods, up from 10 cases recorded in 2024. According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published in May, products sold in Singapore as Kpods have been found to contain either etomidate or ketamine, which is a Class A controlled drug. The UNODC report describes a looming crisis in South-east Asia and East Asia, where drug syndicates and organised crime groups, which have converged, are lacing vapes with synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products like etomidate. These groups are using their combined resources and expertise to constantly change the formulas for synthetic drugs or new psychoactive substances (NPS). In general, NPS are defined under anti-drug laws by their synthetic formulas. Drug-testing tools use the formulas to identify an NPS. The UNODC report said etomidate first appeared in significant amounts in China after synthetic cannabinoids were scheduled as a controlled drug there. "In recent years, China has reported an increase in the illicit use of pharmaceutical products as drug suppliers seek substitutes for mainstream drugs (methamphetamine and heroin), sometimes to get around emerging drug controls of NPS," said the report. It noted that etomidate - a hypnotic agent - was found to be added to e-liquids for use with vaping products following the class scheduling of synthetic cannabinoids in 2021. "Symptoms of etomidate overuse primarily include intoxication-like effects, hand tremors, unsteadiness, as well as anxiety, panic, sluggishness, and mental confusion, and its use has been associated with public safety accidents," the report said. Inshik Sim, lead analyst at the UNODC's office for South-east Asia and the Pacific, told ST that etomidate use in the region exploded during Covid-19, when the pandemic disrupted trade routes and stifled the supply chain for organised crime groups and their drug trade. As drug trafficking syndicates struggled to move methamphetamine from Myanmar into China, syndicates switched to clinical-grade chemicals. "Criminal groups needed to find an alternative. Etomidate, which is used in clinical practice, really started to appeal to some of these users," said Sim. The drug was initially mixed into e-cigarettes, which are devices that resemble the shape and size of a cigarette, and later incorporated into vape oils. Since its introduction, Sim said the UNODC has received reports of a significant rise in Kpod use throughout South-east Asia and East Asia. "There's a high probability that such products will gain more popularity in the region - similar to ketamine, which did not start off as a major drug in South-east Asia, but has gained in popularity," added Sim. The UNODC report said in East and South-east Asia, vaping products were commonly found to contain synthetic cannabinoids. "However, following the class scheduling of synthetic cannabinoids in China in 2021, there has been an increase in other substances detected in vaping products. "In addition to etomidate, countries have also reported detecting ketamine and methamphetamine. "Of note, Thailand has reported the emergence of vaping products containing ketamine, sometimes in combination with methamphetamine or etomidate, called 'Kpods'," the report said. These drug-laced vapes are already in Singapore. On June 14, 2024, HSA found 14 vapes suspected to contain tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis. Youth market Hong Kong has been grappling with a Kpod problem among its young people, who refer to the drug as "space oil". In 2024, public hospitals in the city treated more than 130 suspected space oil abusers, three of whom died. A quarter of the cases involved young people under 18. In February, the government listed space oil as a dangerous drug and banned four substances often used to make the narcotic - etomidate and its three chemically similar analogues metomidate, propoxate and isopropoxate. The UNODC's Sim said organised crime groups have been adapting to evolving demand, particularly the rising popularity of vaping among young people. "In many countries, there is already an established market for vaping. Organised crime groups understand that. "They also understand that those in this group may not necessarily want to inject themselves with heroin or methamphetamine, so why not mix it into the vapes if it can bring more buyers into the market," said Sim. Drug-laced vaporisers are packaged as colourful products, and marketed on social media platforms as being harmless, with zero risk of detection. Sim said organised crime groups are also using vapes to transport and distribute synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products. Cannabis, for example, produces a distinctive smell that is difficult to hide. But synthetic cannabinoids in vapes are virtually undetectable, said Sim. The rising popularity of such laced vapes has led to the introduction of new drugs in vapes. On June 19, the Malaysian authorities uncovered a criminal syndicate distributing vape pods laced with synthetic cocaine. Nearly 5,000 vape cartridges containing some 9.42 litres of cocaine were seized. The syndicate rented condominium units in Kuala Lumpur to pack drugs in vape form, before sending them to other countries. Three Singaporean men were among those arrested. The usage of such products could lead to episodes of overdose and dependence, it added. Videos have since emerged online, purportedly showing young people shaking uncontrollably while puffing on a vape. Dr Clare Anne Fong, an associate consultant in the Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Alexandra Hospital and National University Hospital, said that while etomidate on its own is already addictive, pairing it with nicotine can result in a greater hook. "When nicotine is inhaled with etomidate - which alters one's level of consciousness, similar to a high - Kpods are likely more addictive than traditional vapes," said Dr Fong. Dr Sharen Tian, a family physician at Raffles Medical, said repeated use of etomidate could "result in users seeking the dissociative effects, thereby increasing the risk of dependency". "The clandestine nature of such products, often marketed as Kpods or space oil, exacerbates the issue, especially among youths," said Dr Tian. Assistant Professor Yvette van der Eijk from the School of Public Health at NUS said misinformation on vaping is rife. She said much of this is due to studies funded by the vaping industry, which are often biased and conclude that vaping is safe. "One challenge is that people, especially youths, have access to a lot of misleading information, and need to be taught how to discern between information that misrepresents the harms and information that is accurate," said Dr van der Eijk. Vaping has been banned in Singapore since 2018. Despite that, previous reports state that HSA had seized $41 million worth of vapes from January 2024 to March 2025. That is nearly fivefold the reported value seized from 2019 to end-2023, according to numbers compiled by ST. Many students, from primary schools to institutes of higher learning, have been reported for possessing or using vapes. There were 2,000 such cases in 2024, up from 800 cases in 2022 and 900 cases in 2023. Vaping is not just a social ill. Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim said in Parliament on Jan 7 that several studies have linked vaping to an increase in risk of drug use. Associate Professor Faishal said that the HSA and Central Narcotics Bureau have come across cases of people using vapes to consume controlled drugs. But he added that such cases still form a minority of cases here. Vape zombies Susan said her son's behaviour resembled those of young people, caught in a recent video on social media, who were stumbling as they walked near Punggol Waterway. She said he was constantly twitching and shaking, even when he was not vaping. "We were very worried about him and tried to talk nicely to him. At that point, he cried and promised to stop," said Susan. He broke his promise before too long. "He lost about 10kg within a month. He totally changed into another person. I couldn't recognise him any more," said Susan, who added that he also became more aggressive and agitated. "He started lying to us, cheating me of my money to purchase more Kpods. He would even ask for money from his grandma, his uncle and aunts," she added. It ended with his arrest over an unrelated offence earlier in 2025. "I really didn't know what to do. I didn't know where to put him, to help him end his addiction," said Susan. Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444 Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 Silver Ribbon: 6386-1928 Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 Community Health Assessment Team: 6493-6500/1 Counselling TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 TOUCH Care Line (for seniors, caregivers): 6804-6555 Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800 Online resources [[nid:720127]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store