PUTRAJAYA: Curiosity and peer pressure have led two school-aged siblings to smoke electronic cigarettes or vaping.
A 14-year-old secondary school student who wished to be known as Angah said he started vaping when he was in Year Six.
"At first I felt a little lightheaded, but eventually, it calmed me down and I got addicted, so I had to hide this habit from my parents."
Angah's addiction to smoking e-cigarettes had continued into his secondary school years, to the point that he would spend RM3 out of his RM5 daily allowance to buy liquid nicotine, which he shared with his peers.
"Sometimes three people would share a vape. I am willing to go hungry because I wanted to save my school allowance to buy the vape device and liquid.
"My original purpose was to relieve stress and the cost of buying a device would be shared equally among friends," Angah said.
Angah's mother said she discovered her son's vaping habit earlier this year.
At first, he claimed that the vape device belonged to one of his cousins or uncles.
"Since then, I had advised him repeatedly, but Angah has ignored me and continued vaping.
"He has already been caught by his teacher twice.
"His actions have caused me and my husband to be called to school, and most recently, the school wants to suspend him.
"Now, even Angah's younger brother, 11-year old Adik, has also started vaping, asking his brother to provide him with the device and liquids."
However, Adik's parents have had more success in nipping the problem in the bud.
"I was influenced by some friends at school to start vaping," Adik said. "But, I am now afraid to do it again after my father caught me vaping."
The siblings were among dozens of participants in the Advocacy and Intervention Programme for Nicotine Addiction among Teenagers, aimed at discouraging smoking and vaping, especially among young people from B40 families.
The programme was organised by the Malaysian Drug Prevention Association in collaboration with Malaysian IKRAM Health Association and Medical Mythbusters Malaysia.