Ex-Kpod addict in S’pore who strangled mum during outburst vows to quit for good

Former Kpod addict in Singapore admits violent outbursts against mother, vows to quit completely

After taking Kpods, a man once grabbed his mother’s head, slammed it against a wall, and tried to strangle her.

Shin Min Daily News first reported on 23 June that the 27-year-old, identified only as Mr Chen, became like a “walking corpse” after using the drug.

When angered, he allegedly turned violent at home, attacking his mother and leaving her in fear for her life.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

The mother, who requested anonymity, had then tearfully told reporters that she felt “worse than dead”.

But three months on, there are signs of change.

Mr Chen has since undergone about seven weeks of compulsory rehabilitation — five weeks at the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS), and another two at the WE CARE Addiction Recovery Centre.

Speaking out for the first time to Shin Min Daily News on Sunday (21 Sept), the former addict said:

After using Kpods, I became confused, my anger was magnified, and I couldn’t control my violent behaviour. I’ve really had enough, so I’m taking the first step.

Entered flat through 14th-floor window

During the interview, Mr Chen recalled a frightening incident on 31 July.

After smoking Kpods, he returned home and found that the smart lock on his front door would not open.

Unaware that his mother had disabled his smart lock card, he climbed onto a shoe cabinet in the corridor, crossed a low wall, and edged along the ledge before climbing into the flat through a 14th-floor window.

His mother, who was at home at the time, was so shocked by his behaviour that she immediately called the police. Officers later sent him to NAMS.

Source: Google Maps

“I vaguely knew what I was doing but couldn’t control myself,” he said. “They kept me there for five weeks to help me quit Kpods. At first there were two other addicts, but they soon left and I was alone.”

Former Kpod addict Tried to quit multiple times

Mr Chen admitted he initially felt angry about being confined, but calmed down as he realised he would eventually be released.

Reflecting on how he used to be, he said he did not want to continue living like a “walking corpse”.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

He added that he had tried to quit Kpods several times but always relapsed. “I quit last November but relapsed in February. After that, each attempt to stay off Kpods became shorter.”

Mr Chen said that for about two months, his addiction was so severe that he smoked Kpods simply to get through daily life.

Now, after completing seven weeks of rehabilitation, he continues to receive treatment at WE CARE.

I no longer crave Kpods. I’m taking it step by step to quit completely.

On his violent behaviour, he said the drug amplifies emotions such as sadness and anger. “I still can’t bring myself to watch the CCTV footage of my violent outbursts. I’m afraid it will trigger me, and I feel ashamed.”

Learned about Kpods from cousin

Mr Chen said he first learned about Kpods from his cousin and later used them at clubs, eventually going alone to vape.

He revealed that the price of a small Kpod cartridge dropped from about S$100 last year to S$65 earlier this year, which he believed reflected an increase in supply.

He also noticed empty cartridges discarded near his home and once waited there to find out where to buy them, eventually obtaining sellers’ contacts through people he met.

Mr Chen has since deleted these contacts from his Telegram app.

At the Addiction Recovery Centre, he now takes part in various activities and sharing sessions. He also attends Narcotics Anonymous support group meetings for emotional support.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

“I feel these sharing sessions are my ‘medicine’, since we don’t have any medication to take,” he shared. “I make it a point to go every day — they give me the confidence and support to turn my life around.”