Thailand Anti-Smoking Group Urges Government to Lift Vaping Ban

Today, on April 25, news from Thailand reports that the End Cigarette Smoking Organization of Thailand (ECST) is urging the Thai government to legalize e-cigarettes, citing the UK's progressive approach to e-cigarettes.

According to ECST, the sale and use of e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand, leading to an unregulated black market and increasing opportunities for underage use. 

"E-cigarettes are legal in England, allowing their government to take measures and effectively enforce regulations to protect minors," said Asa Saligupta, a representative from ECST and the Facebook page "What is E-cigarette?" "The UK government will allocate £45 million [$56.05 million] to reduce the country's smoking rate, along with an additional £3 million to crack down on stores selling e-cigarettes to those under 18."

"The ban in Thailand claims to protect minors, but the sale and use of e-cigarettes are open and commonplace. Children can easily access e-cigarettes through online channels without any regulations or checks," Saligupta said. 

Maris Karanyawat stated that looking to the UK as a model could be the solution to Thailand's e-cigarette policy issues. "The subcommittee studying factors affecting the health system and overseeing the enforcement of public health laws released a report based on comprehensive research and opinions from all groups involved in the e-cigarette issue. The report recommends that Thailand lift the e-cigarette ban to allow for proper regulation under the Tobacco Products Control Act of 2017."

In preparation for the upcoming 10th Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to be held in Panama in November, Karanyawat said, "We hope that the Thai representatives will consider the report from the Public Health Issues Committee, recommending the development of methods to reduce tobacco harm based on new scientific evidence, which indicates that the control of e-cigarettes should differ from combustible cigarettes due to their different harmful effects."