KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — In a video clip that went viral in May, two young men were shown vaping and behaving unusually during a live broadcast on a social media platform. One of them appeared dazed, while the other seemed unresponsive.

The clip garnered hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of comments, with many commenters saying the two were probably using ‘piu-piu’ or ‘piao-piao’, the street name of a dangerous synthetic drug.

It has been reported that piu piu is allegedly being mixed into vape liquids.

In a recent post on its Facebook page, Selangor Police said the use of piu-piu among young people in the country is becoming increasingly worrying.

Police said vape products containing piu-piu are extremely dangerous as the hallucinatory effects can occur rapidly — just after a few puffs — leading to quick addiction and severe withdrawal symptoms.

They also warned that piu-piu could cause seizures, heart problems and respiratory complications. However, the most alarming aspect is that the drug is easy to conceal and is sold cheaply through social media platforms.

Experts believe tackling piu-piu presents a greater challenge because the drug is consumed through vaping, which has become a trend.

Prohibited substances

The National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) has acknowledged piu-piu as a new concern in Malaysia’s drug abuse landscape.

The agency said piu-piu is not a conventional drug derived from plants such as cannabis or kratom (or ketum). Instead, it is a synthetic substance produced from a mixture of chemicals, which is then mixed into vape liquids.

The term piu-piu is believed to be street slang referring to the sensation of “floating” or feeling as if one is drifting, describing the hallucinogenic effects experienced by users.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay has been reported as saying that the drug also contains a mixture of fentanyl and could produce extreme hallucination effects, causing users to appear to be in a “zombie-like” state.

He said drug trafficking syndicates are increasingly misusing vape devices as a tactic to evade detection by the authorities.

The authorities have also warned that the use of vape liquids as a medium to distribute such drugs is highly alarming as it targets school students, youths and young adults.

Easily influenced

Commenting on the issue, senior lecturer at the Centre for General Studies and Co-Curriculum, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Associate Prof Dr Khairunesa Isa said the misuse of synthetic drugs through vape devices requires serious attention and should no longer be regarded as isolated cases, particularly when young people are involved.

She said adolescents are at a crucial stage of identity formation and often seek acceptance from their peers, making them more susceptible to following group norms and behaviours, including experimenting with illegal substances.

“Various studies have shown that peer influence can have either a positive or negative impact on adolescent development.

“For example, a study I previously conducted among university students found that peer influence could contribute positively to academic achievement. However, the same influence can also have negative consequences when it encourages young people to experiment with drugs simply to gain acceptance within their peer groups or follow current trends,” she told Bernama.

However, added Khairunesa, efforts to address this issue must consider the entire ecosystem surrounding young people’s lives and should not focus solely on individuals or a single contributing factor, pointing to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory, which states that an individual’s behaviour is shaped by multiple environmental factors, including family, peers, schools and digital media.

On the role of social media, Khairunesa said digital platforms now have a significant influence on shaping young people’s perceptions and behaviours, including in relation to drug abuse.

She said social media is a double-edged sword, pointing out that while it can be used to spread information and raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse, it can also potentially normalise risky behaviours.

Changing patterns of drug abuse

Khairunesa added that the changing patterns of drug abuse, particularly among adolescents and young adults, have also been influenced by the vaping trend.

“What’s concerning is that vape devices are being used to deliver synthetic drugs,” she said.

Unlike conventional drugs, which are often easier to identify based on their appearance and usage patterns, synthetic drugs are more difficult to detect as their formulations frequently change and their methods of distribution continue to evolve.

“In the past, drugs were often associated with crime… today, they are being used through vape products that are perceived as part of a lifestyle. This perception may cause some young people to underestimate the risks of synthetic drug abuse and assume they are harmless,” she said.

The latest AADK statistics show that synthetic drugs now account for 73 per cent of drug abuse cases in Malaysia, with youths aged between 15 and 39 making up about 84 per cent of users involved in such substance abuse.

Concurring with Khairunesa, Malaysian Association of Drug Abuse Counsellors deputy president Dr Engku Mardiah Engku Kamarudin said the modern and trendy image associated with vape products has contributed to greater interest among young people to try them.

She said although numerous scientific studies have shown that vaping can harm health, the perception that it is less harmful than conventional cigarettes has led some adolescents to try it without realising that vape liquids may contain high concentrations of nicotine, synthetic drugs or other psychoactive substances.

“In my view, the biggest change in today’s drug abuse landscape is the way these illegal substances are introduced to young people, making them increasingly difficult to identify.

“Therefore, we can no longer rely solely on previous prevention approaches. Efforts to curb drug abuse must be strengthened through stricter controls on vape misuse, while health literacy must also be improved so that young people can recognise the hidden risks associated with these products,” she said.

Health impact

Engku Mardiah, who is also a senior lecturer at the Department of Counsellor Education and Counselling Psychology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, warned that the use of drugs mixed into vape liquids could lead to various serious effects on users’ physical and mental health.

She said synthetic drugs and psychoactive substances contained in vape liquids could potentially impair brain function, affecting an individual’s ability to control their behaviour and make rational decisions.

“This happens because these substances disrupt the part of the brain responsible for executive functions, which include the ability to think rationally, assess risks and consider the consequences of their actions.

“Under normal circumstances, these functions allow a person to pause before acting and consider whether a decision is safe or otherwise. When these functions are impaired, individuals become more likely to act based on emotional impulses or immediate stimulation without considering the consequences,” she said.

In some cases, individuals under the influence of illegal substances may drive, harm themselves, become involved in fights or make decisions that could endanger themselves and others.

She said such behaviour does not necessarily reflect a person’s true character, but may occur when brain functions related to judgement, self-control and decision-making are affected by drugs.

The use of psychoactive substances can also have more severe consequences when users experience hallucinations or delusions that distort their perception of reality.

This may cause individuals to believe things that are untrue or react to threats that do not actually exist, potentially leading them to act uncontrollably.

“When the developing brain of an adolescent is exposed to psychoactive substances, disruptions to self-control functions can be more pronounced compared with adults.

“The combination of an immature brain and the effects of synthetic drugs can further increase the likelihood of them making decisions that put themselves at risk,” she said.

Vape ban

Commenting on calls to ban vape products, Engku Mardiah said the government plays an important role through policymaking, law enforcement, sales restrictions and supply chain monitoring to reduce access to vape products, particularly among children and adolescents.

However, she stressed that a ban alone would not be sufficient as it could only reduce supply without addressing the factors driving demand for such products.

“The misuse of illegal substances is not caused solely by the existence of a particular product, but is also influenced by factors such as emotional stress, peer pressure, curiosity, family problems, low health literacy and the normalisation of vape use in society.

“Therefore, any ban must be supported by a comprehensive public health approach through stronger education and prevention efforts, increased awareness among parents and teachers, life skills development programmes, and easily accessible rehabilitation support for the affected persons,” she added.

Engku Mardiah added that drug abuse prevention strategies among adolescents must focus on reducing risk factors, among them being the easy access to vape products and illegal substances, while preventing the normalisation of vape use in society.

She said this approach is aligned with the key principles outlined in the International Standards on Drug Use Prevention by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organisation.

“At the same time, we need to strengthen protective factors in adolescents’ lives. These factors help young people make healthy decisions even when facing various challenges. These include forging closer relationships with their parents, and having the support of their teachers, as well as having emotional and stress management skills and the confidence to reject negative influences. The practise of religious and moral values is also important.

“Research has also shown that the more protective factors an adolescent has, the lower the risk of engaging in risky behaviours, including drug abuse,” she said.

She added that the government should strengthen protective factors by expanding drug prevention programmes, improving health literacy, and enhancing mental health services and substance abuse treatment, as well as implementing early detection and intervention measures.

“In the field of substance abuse prevention, we know that the most effective intervention is to prevent someone from starting drug use in the first place, rather than waiting until they develop an addiction.

“Prevention is always more effective and creates a greater impact on society compared with treatment after the problem has become serious,” she said. — Bernama