By Zaid Aboobacker
KUWAIT: Many teenagers today find themselves entangled in the world of vaping, with some as young as 11 gaining access to these devices. Kuwait Times engaged in conversations with several students to understand how they became involved in vaping and how they managed to overcome this issue. Unfortunately, many parents remain oblivious to their children’s involvement in vaping. The majority of these students were introduced to vaping through friends or small vape shops, often without their parents’ knowledge.
In these encounters, they discovered that vaping could lead to either a fleeting experimentation or a more concerning addiction to nicotine. Khaled, a former vape user, shared his story of how he was introduced to vaping at just 12 by a 17-year-old intermediary who connected younger kids with vape suppliers for profit. His motivation stemmed from a desire for acceptance and admiration from his school peers, all while his parents remained unaware of his activities.
Khaled recounted an incident where he brought his first vape to a tutoring class, and he and his friends took turns vaping discreetly, all at the tender age of 12. This anecdote highlights how even in seemingly innocent environments, children can engage in inappropriate behavior. Fortunately, Khaled eventually moved on from vaping, recognizing its dangers and absurdity. Another student shared insights into how young teenagers frequent small vape shops where shopkeepers illegally sell vapes without checking identification.
These shopkeepers even instruct kids to avoid surveillance cameras. However, the consequences of vaping can extend beyond nicotine addiction and into more serious problems, including smoking cigarettes and engaging in drug use. This was the unfortunate path taken by one student who initially started with vaping and ended up involved in more harmful activities due to the people he encountered through buying vapes.
Hassan, a well-informed student in his school, explained that many students get involved in vaping due to the negative influence of their friends or peer pressure, similar to Khaled’s experience. It’s noteworthy that some of these vape dealers are students themselves, who smuggle their products into school and sell them clandestinely. Others operate outside of school premises. Hassan also pointed out that students often come into contact with these dealers when they are left unsupervised, particularly when traveling to their tuition centers for extra classes.