A national committee on tobacco has ordered stricter enforcement of laws against e-cigarette sales after a survey revealed that vaping among younger teens has increased more than fivefold.
Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said the committee has voiced strong concerns about the widespread use of e-cigarettes among young people in the kingdom.
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey by the World Health Organization found that the number of Thai students aged 13-15 years who smoked e-cigarettes had increased 5.3 times compared to 2015, when records were first compiled, said Dr Cholnan.
The survey also found that Thai youngsters were not adequately educated about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, which are easily accessible via online marketplaces.
In response, the committee has asked for cooperation from various agencies, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior, the Royal Thai Police, the Customs Department and the Consumer Protection Board, to take urgent measures to prevent children from using e-cigarettes.
The committee said it would aim to tighten policies to contain the spread of e-cigarettes, boost surveillance measures, and promote law enforcement in controlling the import and sale of e-cigarettes.
It also aims to promote a better understanding of the harmful consequences of smoking e-cigarettes on individuals’ health while raising awareness among young people of e-cigarette marketing tactics.
The minister said law enforcement agencies reported 136 cases involving illegal e-cigarette sales last year.
Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn, chief of the Department of Disease Control, said that the research found that e-cigarette smokers are getting younger.
He said the number of patients with e-cigarette-related diseases, especially severe lung infections, has dramatically increased.
Dr Thongchai said it is very important to speed up preventive measures related to e-cigarettes to help protect people’s health.
He said the drug Cytisine, which helps people to quit smoking, has been registered on the national drug list.
The WGO recently launched its “Stop the Lies” campaign to protect young people from the tobacco industry and its products by calling for an end to tobacco industry interference in health policy.