Vapeboss – A drug case involving vape liquid had gone viral among the public. On Saturday (1/14/2023), the police arrested an illegal producer who was the main perpetrator in Kembangan, West Jakarta. The police also seized liquid drugs ready for distribution and several bottles of vape liquid containing drugs.

Responding to this, the Secretary-General of the Indonesian Personal Vaporizer Association (APVI), Garindra Kartasasmita, said that drug abuse in vape products must be dealt with firmly.

"As an association of vape entrepreneurs, we are committed to improving supervision so that all types of drugs do not reach the vape user community. The current problem is the misuse of vape," said Garindra.

According to Garindra, this misuse is not due to the product itself, but rather the actions of individuals in the field. For example, a product marketed for a specific purpose is not used for its intended purpose.

"Syringes are for health purposes but can be misused for drugs. On the other hand, knives are also marketed for cooking, not for injuring. The solution is certainly not to eliminate these products but to continuously monitor their use in the field," he said.

Garindra added that since 2018, APVI has worked closely with institutions such as the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, the Indonesian National Police, and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) to prevent the circulation of illegal vape products.

"Through the APVI Task Force, APVI has actively reported misuse and illegal vape products to the authorities. As an association that oversees vape business actors in Indonesia, APVI firmly holds our commitment to ensure that no APVI member sells illegal vape products," he said.

In agreement with APVI, the Chairman of the Indonesian Electronic Nicotine Delivery Alliance (APPNINDO), Teguh Basuki Ari Wibowo, appreciated the police's steps in uncovering the case of liquid narcotics and prosecuting the perpetrators.

However, according to him, it is very regrettable if the vape industry is affected by the actions of certain individuals. Therefore, Teguh and all business actors affiliated with APPNINDO condemn the actions of irresponsible parties, such as drug-laced liquid distributors.

"The government needs to know whether the vape company committing the misuse is a legal entity or not. This way, there will be no criminalization of legal industries that conduct their business properly," he concluded.

Source: Kliktimes