Singaporean couple pays the price while fighting to save son from addiction and self-destruction
A Singaporean couple reported their son twice for vaping, desperate to stop his addiction. Despite fines and counselling, the teen’s condition worsened, exposing deep flaws in support systems and enforcement.
Singapore Parents Report Teenage Son Twice Over Vaping Addiction
In a desperate bid to save their 18-year-old son from the grips of vaping addiction, a middle-aged Singaporean couple took the unthinkable step of reporting him to the authorities twice. After repeated efforts, the teen’s condition continued to deteriorate, leaving the family emotionally wrecked and fearful.
From Gentle Teen to ‘Time Bomb’
The mother, who spoke anonymously to Shin Min Daily News, described how her son drastically changed after picking up vaping in 2023. Once polite and mild-mannered, he grew erratic, aggressive, and physically unwell. “He was unsteady, his hands shook, and his face turned dark,” she said. Memory lapses, mood swings, and late-night disappearances became common.
Despite heartfelt interventions and professional counselling, the teen remained unresponsive. “I just want to vape,” he told his parents, claiming it helped relieve his stress. Their home environment soon felt like “living with a ticking time bomb,” filled with slamming doors, shouting, and tension.
Parents Fined for Seeking Help
In a last-ditch effort, the couple called the authorities—twice. Police arrived at their HDB flat and confiscated the vape devices. Shockingly, each report cost the family a S$300 fine, totaling S$600, despite their good intentions.
Undeterred, their son resumed vaping by ordering new devices from Telegram groups, which delivered directly to their void deck, often within a day. The father criticized how easily youths can access these harmful products despite repeated government crackdowns.
Support Systems Fall Short
The family also sought help from rehabilitation centres and enrolled their son in counselling. But no amount of external support seemed to help. The mother tearfully admitted, “I’ve done everything I can think of. I’m just hoping someone out there can help us.”
According to the Health Promotion Board (HPB), e-cigarettes contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals that damage the lungs, heart, and developing brain. The HPB encourages those seeking help to join its “I Quit” programme, which provides counselling and text-based support to quit smoking and vaping.
Easy Access Fuels Youth Crisis
The father emphasized how online sales platforms, particularly Telegram, continue to undermine national anti-vaping efforts. “We hear of raids, but these groups keep operating. They’re targeting youths directly,” he said. The accessibility issue is amplifying health risks for young people across the country.
The couple urges policymakers to focus not only on sellers but also on support structures for families dealing with youth addiction. “He is still our son,” the mother said. “If we give up on him, who else will help?”
This family’s heart-wrenching journey underscores the rising mental health and addiction challenges facing youth in Singapore and beyond. It sheds light on the gaps in public health enforcement, the ease of illegal access, and the urgent need for compassionate yet effective interventions. As more families grapple with similar crises, both Indonesia and Singapore must examine how digital platforms are enabling harmful behaviors and how systems can be strengthened to support those most vulnerable.
Sources: Must Share News (2025) , The New Paper (2025)
Keywords: Vaping Addiction, Singapore Parents, Youth Mental Health, E-Cigarette Access, Telegram Vape Sales
