November 2023 by J. Song
I was touring in UK and ended staying in this little town for a while however due to expired date of my visa card I was stranded here camping in the church while waitingy new visa card to arrived. I smoked opium at the age of 7 and spent most of my childhood in opium house in Malaysia Everytime my father addiction of opium was on! I have to go to opium house with him and wait till he finished smoking opium and play with others kids in the opium house as their father also doing the same thing. opium house was my garden of Eden when I was sick my father will let me inhale and smokes some opium too. till my father die also due to over smoking of opium when I was 9. and I pick up smoking cigarret when I was 10 till I was 40 somehow stop many time here and now. I regards myself as occasional smoker as I manage to decide when to smoke if I go to bar or night club and when not to smoke now. when I was in Fishguard a group of teenager approached me to help them to buy vape as they have no money! at first I never thought of age limits as they told me they have no money so I help buy it for them with my money . second time a group of girls teenagers I met them before always squating and some and drinks alcohol near the hotel corner in town opposite the town hall they approached me to help them to buy vape. they were so addicted was in need of smoking so I somehow out of no reason help to to buy the vapes at this supermarket. when I reached the shop I met a young boy I met before he was buying Cokes and he ask me if I am buying vape I said yes but it was not for him. so after paying the vape one the female staff of the shop followed me and saw me interact with the little boy outside the supermarket as he was waiting for me outside the shop question me if I am buying it for the kids! she threaten me will call the police and ask me never comeback to the store again if I am buying vape for the kids doing evil to the kids! I do think if you suspicious of that the right approached if you are professional in your carrer is telling me or not to sell to me next time of my visits but not behaved in that way of confronting the customer ! I am paying and buying the items legally anyway with the money not robbing in the shop not to the extent you have to call the police to interfere! the vape was for the other group of teenager girl they approached me probably they were under age too. but for sure they have been smoking for long time have to buy vape from black market paying probably double price etc when I agreed to help the teenage girl to buy the vape as I was thinking to use the opportunity to talk to them asking them to drink more vitamin c and take care of body not over smoke as smoking vape among the teenager is a common fenomena now a days even in Malaysia where I come from. at least smoking vape is 90% less harmful compare to tobacco or opium as far as I know! my suggestion to UK is cover up the tobacco section not expose it to the public as kids will see it only open up the counter when there is request !
