An 84-year-old vendor and her 27-year-old grandson have been arrested for selling vapes outside a school in Thailand, a move that has led to the hospitalisation of a 12-year-old girl with severe lung damage.
According to Khaosod, the pair were apprehended on 20 Feb in their room across the street from the school.
In addition to the arrest, authorities seized three vape devices, 41 bottles of flavoured kratom water, two bottles of cough syrup, and an improvised firearm.
Source: Khaosod
The elderly vendor and her grandson admitted to operating their shop near the school, selling vapes and kratom without regard for their customers’ age.
They had been ordering vape devices online and advertising them in a private social media group, becoming a known source of vapes for local youths.
Source: Khaosod
Despite the vendor’s well-known presence in the area, teachers at the school were unaware of the vape shop, which has raised questions from locals.
The pair is facing multiple charges, including selling vape devices without a license and illegal firearm possession.
The investigation was prompted by the case of a 12-year-old girl who had been hospitalised after suffering shortness of breath, vomiting, and extreme weakness.
Doctors diagnosed her with severe lung damage, reportedly caused by two years of vaping.
Nearly 100% of her lungs were damaged, and she is currently in critical condition on a ventilator.
The girl’s grandmother was shocked to learn of the situation, when teachers revealed that the girl had been smoking.
She said her grandchild became more withdrawn and neglected her responsibilities after she entered fourth grade and started going out more frequently.
Also read: 33-year-old man arrested for allegedly importing vapes into S’pore & supplying them to locals
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Featured image adapted from Khaosod.