Thailand’s ability to control youth vaping in Thailand will improve with the legalization and regulation of vaping. Asa Saligupta, Director of ECST (ENDS Cigarette Smoke Thailand), claims that the ongoing prohibition is just making matters worse.
His remarks echo previous claims made by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul that keeping Thailand’s vaping ban in place will protect kids.
According to Mr. Saligupta’s opinion, “turning to vape into a criminal activity simply increases its appeal to young people. Furthermore, with no governmental oversight whatsoever, the black market can flourish with absolutely no product safety requirements. Bans on vaping are neither a solution nor sustainable.”
The ECST Director is still optimistic that safer nicotine products will be regulated, especially because draft legislation is presently available to Thailand’s parliament. According to him, the majority of the electorate and the general public still support ending the country’s unsuccessful vaping ban.
The Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, bureaucrats, and public health specialists all know precisely what has to be done to combat Thailand’s smoking epidemic, according to ECST, notwithstanding recent remarks made by the Public Health Minister.
He says: “Proponents of tobacco harm reduction (THR) will continue to quietly operate behind the scenes. Regulation would improve consumer safety, motivate more smokers to give up dangerous cigarettes, and ensure that we have better control over teenage vaping with a high buying age.”
Sadly, according to Mr. Saligupta, the Public Health Minister has come under intense pressure from groups like the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth). However, ECST thinks there is a good likelihood that the stalled vaping bill will pass during the general election anticipated later this year.
“Around 50,000 Thais perish from smoking each year. The stringent restrictions on vaping devices in Thailand will only increase the number of illnesses and early deaths caused by smoking. It’s crazy that there is now considerable support in Thailand for legalizing and regulating vaping,” he says.
Despite the World Health Organization’s (WHO) anti-vaping campaign, approximately 70 nations have now implemented legislative frameworks for safer nicotine products, resulting in sharp drops in their total smoking rates.
“We only ask that Thailand act in accordance with the evidence. Unfortunately, our nation continues to adhere to the WHO’s completely discredited advice, placing us among an increasingly small group of nations. Actually, vaping is far safer than smoking cigarettes and is the most effective method we have for helping people stop smoking. Simply said, vaping has saved my life as a former smoker. It is past time for e-cigarettes to be legally and responsibly accessible,” says Saligupta.
ECST belongs to CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates). According to CAPHRA, Asia Pacific is making significant progress in destroying tobacco and assisting smokers to shift to healthier nicotine products.
“The importation, production, sale, and marketing of vaping goods are now subject to regulation in the Philippines, which recently lifted its ban on the practice. The overwhelming body of scientific data and the dedication of THR supporters like ECST will help Thailand get there,” according to Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA.
Over 10,000 people have now signed the Right2Switch petition demanding the WHO respect consumer rights and stop spreading misinformation about vaping.
With nearly 15,000 testimonials, CAPHRA is encouraging people who have given up smoking by using smoke-free nicotine substitutes to share their experience with others.
