Thailand’s Public Health Minister Reaffirms Opposition to E-Cigarettes
According to the Bangkok Post, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health continues to oppose vaping, saying e-cigarettes are harming consumers’ health, with more than half of users believed to be young people. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said at
According to the Bangkok Post, Thailand's Ministry of Public Health remains opposed to electronic cigarettes, stating that e-cigarettes are impacting consumer health, with more than half of users being young people.
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Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul spoke at a national conference on tobacco and public health in Bangkok on August 29, emphasizing the need to continue banning the import of e-cigarettes to protect youth from health risks associated with vaping.<\/span><\/div>
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According to a survey conducted by the National Statistical Office last year, more than half of the approximately 80,000 e-cigarette users in Thailand are aged between 15 and 24 years.<\/span><\/div>
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"This clearly indicates that e-cigarettes are creating new smokers, especially among young people, and increasing international research has found that vaping has negative effects on the brains of young people," Charnvirakul said.<\/span><\/div>
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Charnvirakul pointed to "experiences from other countries," stating that banning e-cigarettes is the most effective measure to control vaping.<\/span><\/div>
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He added that concerns about illegal trade will be addressed by continuing to "crack down on smuggling e-cigarettes into the country."<\/span><\/div>
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Charnvirakul's comments came after discussions about legalizing vaping products in Thailand. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society established a working group to explore whether e-cigarettes could be legalized as an alternative for smokers.<\/span><\/div>
