Concerns about drugs mixed in e-cigarettes

Recently, a serious problem has been arising in the community, especially among students, which is the injection of drug-containing essences into electronic cigarettes for sale to young people.

E-cigarettes, with their eye-catching appearance and ease of use, have attracted the attention of many young people. In particular, students who are at the age of curiosity and discovery of new things can be drawn into using e-cigarettes as a form of "style expression" or "self-discovery."

However, it is worrying that some bad guys have taken advantage of this opportunity to turn e-cigarettes into a tool for consuming drugs, causing many dangers not only to the health but also to the psychological development of the young generation.

Vendors often inject e-cigarettes with addictive substances such as marijuana, heroin, or even synthetic stimulants like fentanyl.

These essences are often mixed with flavorings to mask the taste and create a sense of safety for users. This behavior not only directly harms health but also has many potential long-term effects on the user's nervous system, cognitive ability and behavior.

If using synthetic drugs, users may face a high risk of poisoning and even death if not treated promptly.

Recently, the Criminal Techniques Department of Phu Tho Provincial Police has continuously received requests from the Investigation Police Department at all levels to examine the drugs contained in the bottles of e-cigarette essential oils seized from the subjects. This type of essential oil is usually white or yellow in color and has a fragrant smell.

Through the examination, the Criminal Technical Department discovered the drug MDMB-BUTINACA contained in these essential oil bottles.

This is a new drug and has just been promptly added to Decree 90/2024/ND-CP dated July 17, 2024 of the Government regulating the lists of drugs and precursors.

The method of producing samples containing MDMB-BUTINACA is to dissolve this substance in essential oils suitable for pumping into electronic cigarettes or spraying on dry plant fibers and using it through smoking. When entering the body, this substance has the effect of stimulating the central nervous system and causing strong hallucinations, making the user dependent and addicted.

MDMB-BUTINACA is a synthetic cannabis drug that is dangerous to health and can cause multiple organ damage, coma, convulsions, paranoia, shock, kidney failure, and even cardiac arrest.

The criminals' modus operandi is to buy bottles of essential oils containing the drug MDMB-BUTINACA on social networking sites, then dilute them with different solutions and inject them into electronic cigarette Pods and sell them to teenagers, students, and pupils for profit.

Talking about the harmful effects of using e-cigarettes, Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, said that when young people use e-cigarettes containing drugs, they not only face the risks from the toxic chemicals in e-cigarettes, but also the effects of drugs on the body and mind.

Substances like THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in marijuana and other stimulant drugs can lead to many serious health problems such as mental disorders, addiction, and intellectual impairment.

In particular, if using synthetic drugs, users may face a high risk of poisoning and even death if not treated promptly.

More worryingly, the use of drug-containing e-cigarettes can be highly addictive, making it easy for users to switch from using "e-cigarettes" to using other drugs in real life, leading to a spiral of crime and addiction that is not easy to break.

Faced with this worrying situation, authorities and society need to take strong measures to prevent and control the injection of drug-containing essences into e-cigarettes.

With just over 20 days left until the ban on new generation cigarettes takes effect, at this time, to prevent harmful products from reaching consumers, relevant agencies need to strengthen control and inspection of the e-cigarette market.

Authorities need to have stricter monitoring measures for e-cigarette products on the market, especially those of unknown origin. Measures to check the quality, origin and composition of the essences used in e-cigarettes need to be strictly implemented.

Schools, families and society need to raise awareness about the harmful effects of using e-cigarettes and drugs, especially those containing addictive substances. Media campaigns need to be carried out to warn young people about the potential dangers.

When the ban is implemented, there must be strict penalties for those who produce, trade and consume e-cigarettes containing drugs. These acts not only violate the law but also threaten the development of the younger generation, so strong measures must be taken to deter them.

Support and treatment for addicts: Drug addiction treatment support services need to be expanded and improved in quality. Those who have fallen into the “trap” of e-cigarettes containing drugs need timely help to recover their health and psychology, avoiding the spread of addiction.

Injecting drug-containing essence into e-cigarettes and selling them to students is a dangerous act that needs to be dealt with thoroughly. Not only does it affect the health of users, but it can also cause serious long-term consequences for society as a whole.

To protect the younger generation, we need the cooperation of the community, family, school and authorities in preventing this situation. In particular, it is necessary to provide students with full knowledge about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and drugs so that they can protect their own health and future.

Phu Tho Provincial Police Department recommends that people raise their vigilance, regularly update and monitor information on the harmful effects of drugs, especially new types of drugs; methods and tricks of drug criminals to recognize and prevent drug-related risks to themselves, their families and society.

Parents should pay attention to educating and advising their children and adolescents not to participate in storing and using drugs, not to use electronic cigarettes, functional foods, or stimulants; and to proactively prevent the attack of new types of drugs in the current situation.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/moi-lo-ma-tuy-tron-trong-thuoc-la-dien-tu-d231997.html