E-cigarette Danger: High School Students Hospitalized in Vietnam

A 16-year-old teenager from Thach That district in Hanoi started using e-cigarettes a year ago. Recently, his friends introduced him to a new type of cigarette, claiming that it is much better than regular cigarettes.

When he gave me a new cigarette, he didn't say what was inside. I thought it was like any other type of cigarette, so I tried it. But suddenly I felt like I was spiraling. When I woke up, I saw myself in the hospital," recalled T.

After two days of treatment, T still runs the risk of having seizures and needs further monitoring. His mother stated that this was the first time her son had been hospitalized, "His friends told me that his condition became very serious after smoking. They took him to the local hospital, and then he was transferred to Bach Mai Hospital," she said.

At the Central White Plum Hospital, T was not the only victim. Prior to this, the hospital had treated a 20-year-old girl who was in a deep coma due to vaping.

Nguyen Trung Nguyen, the director of the toxic control center at Bach Mai Hospital, has stated that after conducting tests on samples of electronic cigarettes, a new type of drug called ADB-BUTINACA has been found within them.

Drug Use in Schools

The number of students using toxic e-cigarettes is higher than anticipated. A serious concern is how easily accessible these products are - students can purchase them at nearby shops, such as bubble tea stores, and even smoke them just outside school gates.

In late October, a Vietnamese web reporter followed three students in the Ping Chung district of Ho Chi Minh City. After leaving school, they rode on a motorcycle, with two of them using an e-cigarette in the back seat. They exchanged puffs on the e-cigarette until they arrived at a milk tea shop with other students, where many e-cigarettes were displayed on the table.

The store was packed with people of different ages. Young customers were discussing the taste and smoke of cigarettes they had tried before.

A student named NHLQ from a middle school in BinhTan district of Ho Chi Minh City stated that not only high school students, but also many middle school students are using e-cigarettes. "Some people smoke at school, some even smoke in the classroom," Q said.

According to Q, students are bringing e-cigarettes shaped like lipstick or pens to school and hiding them in the restroom. During breaks, they are sneaking into the bathroom to vape, and some students are keeping watch outside. Furthermore, some are even vaping inside the classroom.

When teachers are not in the classroom, many of them smoke before or after class. I once saw a male student smoking during class because he was so addicted. He would smoke while the teacher was writing on the chalkboard and after finishing, he would swallow the cigarette butt." Q said.

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