Beware Drug-Laced Vapes: 3 Men Jailed for Putting Marijuana in E-Cigarettes

Everyone knows that smoking is harmful to health, and e-cigarettes can reduce the health damage caused by harmful substances like tar found in traditional cigarettes. Therefore, many smokers choose e-cigarettes as a substitute for traditional cigarettes. However, there are a few young people who have turned e-cigarettes into a means of drug trafficking. What is going on here? (All names in the article are pseudonyms)
 
On October 23, the Changsha Intermediate People's Court announced this typical case.

Abo is a young man in his early twenties who contacted a peer named Zhi Mu through WeChat to conduct "e-cigarette" transactions in a residential area in Changsha. However, this so-called "e-cigarette" contained marijuana components and was, in fact, a drug.

Zhi Mu not only consumed it himself but also sold this drug-laced e-cigarette to Ding Zi. After a WeChat transfer, he mailed the drug-laced e-cigarette to Ding Zi.

Abo had not only Zhi Mu as a "customer" but also developed "downlines." A young man named Xiao Jian also contacted Abo's "downline" Ma Jin through WeChat, transferred money to Ma Jin, who then contacted Abo to have the marijuana-containing "e-cigarette" sent to Xiao Jian.

Abo, Ma Jin, and Zhi Mu were arrested by the police in August 2020. After court hearings, it was determined that all three were guilty of drug trafficking. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one year to three and a half years, with fines ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 yuan.

Ma Jin was dissatisfied with the first-instance verdict and appealed to the Changsha Intermediate Court, requesting the original judgment be overturned and a not guilty verdict be issued.

Ma Jin argued that without a report identifying the e-cigarette components, it could not be proven that the e-cigarettes sold contained drug components. He claimed he only relayed purchasing demands, had no contact with the e-cigarettes, and that Abo did not clearly inform him that the e-cigarettes contained marijuana, thus he had no intent to sell drugs.

The Changsha Intermediate Court found in the second instance that the e-cigarettes sold by Ma Jin had been consumed. However, Ma Jin's multiple statements before being released on bail, the testimony of co-defendant Abo, and the testimony of buyer Xiao Jian corroborated that Ma Jin was aware that the e-cigarettes he sold contained marijuana. Ma Jin had the intent to sell drugs and had engaged in four sales. His appeal was deemed unfounded and was not accepted.

The second instance concluded that the original judgment was clear in its facts and that the evidence was sufficient, thus the appeal was rejected and the original judgment was upheld.

Frequent Incidents of Drug-Laced E-Cigarettes

Drug-laced e-cigarettes often look like ordinary e-cigarettes but are actually drugs disguised in an e-cigarette shell. Their products are highly deceptive, and in recent years, there have been increasing reports of accidental consumption of drug-laced e-cigarettes.

Terms like "flying sensation" and "pilot" appearing in social media are commonly used promotional phrases by these illegal vendors, subtly hinting at the feelings after consuming drug-laced e-cigarettes, attracting naive young people to purchase.

Some young people, unaware of the functions and consequences of consumption, are recommended by acquaintances and, out of "curiosity" and a desire for fun, end up addicted to drug-laced e-cigarettes.

After consuming drug-laced e-cigarettes, one may experience nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. As consumption increases, symptoms like anxiety and depression may arise, and excessive consumption can lead to unstable walking, slow reactions, confusion, and slurred speech, severely harming physical health.

Judges remind individuals to enhance their self-protection awareness, discern right from wrong, choose friends carefully, avoid accepting unknown items rashly, cherish life, stay vigilant, cultivate healthy hobbies, and stay away from the erosion of drugs!