A 28-year-old man in Singapore allegedly turned to etomidate-laced vapes after losing his job.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, his 58-year-old mother revealed that he had been working as a technician but was laid off in June last year.
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Each pod costs around RM279
Wang (pseudonym) said her son was introduced to Kpods by a friend who claimed they would help him sleep, but instead, he became addicted.
Although he found a new job two months later, the night shifts left him unable to sleep during the day, which led him to rely even more on vaping at home.
His mother added that smoking four to five Kpods a day has taken a toll on him, causing mood swings and even affecting his balance.
“His marriage has also been on the rocks. He and his wife often fought over money, and now they’re in the middle of a divorce,” she said.
He also developed a gambling habit and borrowed heavily from loan sharks, leaving Wang to repay more than SGD30,000 (~RM98,485) on his behalf.
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“He tried to jump off a building with his son”
Wang shared that she once argued with her son last December after he asked her for money and eventually lost control.
She said the financial stress of raising a 5-year-old drove him to try jumping off a building while holding his son.
“We argued, and then he took my grandson into the hallway, grabbed a ladder, and tried to jump,” she recalled.
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On August 15, he allegedly threatened to do the same again after she refused to give him SGD1,000 (~RM3,282).
Wang claimed she had called the police more than eight times, but whenever she reported her son for vaping, officers told her to take photos as proof. Recently, when she found six vape cartridges, she said she was too afraid to snap pictures, fearing his violent temper and the possibility of being beaten.
“I really didn’t dare go home. I was terrified and lived in fear every day. I just hope my son can pull himself together and take good care of his son. That’s all I ask,” she said.
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