Education
Vape Awareness: Mist of Misconception
In the glitzy lanes of South Delhi, where luxury and legacy intertwine, the tale of Vihaan and Tunnisa begins to unravel. These two, born into privilege and the whispers of high society, sought the thrill of independence one night, convincing their parents of a harmless night out and escaping to the city’s most exclusive club.
“Trust us, it’s just a bit of fun,” Vihaan assured his parents with a grin, his words dipped in the confident, laid-back drawl characteristic of South Delhi’s elite. Tunnisa, flicking her hair with a laugh that chimed like crystal, added, “Yeah, we’ll be super safe, you know. It’s all chill vibes only.”
The club was an electric universe unto itself, pulsating with beats that echoed the heartbeats of Delhi’s young and restless. It was here, amidst the sea of moving bodies and throbbing music, that Vihaan and Tunnisa encountered the ubiquitous presence of vapes, each puff a symbol of the carefree rebellion they yearned for.
“Honestly, it’s like, not even bad for you,” Vihaan mused aloud, a sleek vape pen dangling between his fingers, reflecting the strobe lights. “It’s all water vapour, right? Way classier than smoking.” Tunnisa, taking a delicate drag, nodded in agreement. “Totally. It’s just flavour. Plus, it looks so cool,” she said, her voice a melody of nonchalance and privilege, unaware of the shadows that lurked behind the veil of vapour.
The backdrop to their night of whispered defiance and veiled clouds is starkly illuminated by a survey conducted by the Think Change Forum (TCF), titled “Ideas for an Addiction-Free India.” Among 1,007 students aged 14 to 17, an astonishing 96% were clueless about the ban on vapes in India, with 89% blissfully unaware of the health risks shadowing their fashionable accessory. The revelation that 52% perceived vaping as “completely harmless,” and another 37% saw it as “moderately harmful,” underscores the bubble of misconception that Vihaan, Tunnisa, and their peers inhabit—a bubble punctured only by the piercing truth of ignorance.
As the night faded and reality dawned with the sobering light of day, Vihaan and Tunnisa’s fleeting rebellion against the norms left them standing on the precipice of a larger conversation, one that transcends the boundaries of nightclubs and enters the realm of health and awareness.
Their story, echoed in the laughter and whispers of countless others, beckons us to ponder a critical question that resonates with urgency and concern:
In a society that dresses danger in the guise of trend and tradition, how do we pierce the mist of misconception to reveal the truth about vaping to our youth? How do we ensure that the quest for social stature and the allure of belonging do not cloud the judgement of our future generations?