Young Boy Vapes at Mamak, Raises Public Concern

More than ten years ago, the world was shocked by the footage of a two-year-old from Indonesia chain-smoking cigarettes while riding on a tricycle.

While Ardi Rizal has since kicked the habit, he was certainly not the last in a long line of children who has fallen victim to the temptations of nicotine.

Malaysia it seems now has its own Ardi Rizal.

Earlier this month, a user on X (previously Twitter) posted a video showing a young boy, possibly no younger than primary school age, vaping in plain sight at a mamak restaurant.

The boy’s face had been blurred out and his identity kept anonymous.

But it was obvious that he was surrounded adults, possible even his own family members, vaping in public.

Whether the vape stick was his own or borrowed from somewhere or someone else, remains to be seen.

Netizens were quick to jump on the blame train.

Many criticised the parents, particularly the dad.

Phrases like ‘bapa borek, anak rintik’ (like father like son) were rife.

Others pointed fingers at celebrities and other online influencers who were normalising vapes on their platforms.

But more concerning subtweets tagged government officials and the Prime Minister. Calling for stricter regulations on the sale of vapes, which is not as tightly monitored as traditional tobacco cigarettes.

The Issue of Vapes and e-Cigarettes in Malaysia

While often touted as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, experts have been warning people for years that vapes are not better, if actually worse than cigarettes.

It’s like comparing arsenic to cyanide.

While vapes are indeed mostly water vapour, the amount of nicotine in a single vape cartridge is nearly 10 times than that of a single cigarette.

Unfortunately, the Malaysian government is slack with vapes.

Especially when it comes to age restrictions of the popular recreational substance.

According to CodeBlue, Malaysia has no regulations or restrictions ‘on the sale of e-cigarettes containing nicotine to people below 18’.

This means that any child can openly walk into a vape store and buy a vape stick.

Ethical vape merchants would turn away any minor with proof of identity.

But in this day and age, how many people are willing to sacrifice profits for scruples?

Let’s be honest, the boy in the shared video is probably not the first 6-year-old to have been caught smoking cigarettes.

It is only with viral news like these that shed light on important issues our country has been dealing with for years.

The Malaysian authorities need to look into the matter.

Did the boy did indeed purchase the vape stick on his own? If so, this would entail enforcing of new rules.

Or did the vape belong to a family member? If so, this may constitute as child abuse or parental neglect.

Let’s protect our children together and ban the use of vapes for their healthier future.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.

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