'Kpods broke our marriage, shattered our kids': Woman on husband's vape use

The first sign that something was amiss was when Mary's (not her real name) husband shut himself inside the bedroom, ignoring his wife and two young sons.

- Nadine Chua

The once loving husband and father turned violent, wrecking things at home, kicking doors in the middle of the night. One day, he collapsed in the living room, his body slouched against the wall, with a vape in hand.

Since The Straits Times launched its anti-vaping campaign, Vaping: The Invisible Crisis, on July 13, several readers have written in to share their experiences about loved ones vaping.

Some said they never knew the effects vapes had on a user's health, while others called for vaping legislation to be strengthened.

Three readers e-mailed ST about how vaping and Kpods, which contain the powerful anesthetic drug etomidate, have ruined their families.

Used in hospitals for inducing sedation during medical procedures, etomidate is designed to be injected directly into the veins under clinical supervision and never intended to be inhaled.

When vaped, etomidate enters the lungs directly, potentially triggering spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and even psychosis.

SONS SCARED OF FATHER

For years, the two boys, aged seven and nine, had always known their father to be a loving and doting man.

But everything changed when the man, 41, used Kpods.

Mary, 35, said her husband was so depressed he could not work, and got fired from his technician job.

Mary, who works in marketing, said her husband spiralled into repeated episodes of violence, emotional outbursts and dangerous behaviour while using Kpods.

One night, the family heard him destroying things around the home as they hid in the bedroom. The next morning, they saw their microwave badly damaged.

Mary's younger son, who has autism, became afraid of his father.

She said: "They used to be close and would play badminton together. But he soon became fearful of his father. My husband would also snap at my older son. He was traumatized and anxious after being yelled at so many times."