Illegal e-cigarettes are readily available near universities, with packaging and flavors designed to appeal to children.
PUBLISHED: 3 Apr 2024 at 18: 03
Participants in a seminar held by the Action on Smoking and Health ( ASH) Foundation on Wednesday say that authorities need to do more to stop young people from smoking e-cigarettes.
The illegal selling of e- smoking in universities worries Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, said Warawut Yancharoen, assistant secretary of the Prime Minister’s office.
The top told some 100 individuals from across the nation that he had instructed the appropriate agencies to target and stop the distribution of e-cigarettes in schools.
He noted a study by the Thailand Youth Institute, which found 72 stores selling e- smoke in the funds, 51 of them near institutions.
Additionally, according to Mr. Warawut, the university discovered that some e-cigarette goods had been altered to appeal to younger consumers. Some have beautifully colored cartoon characters in their package, and flavours such as chocolate, berries and oregano.
” The danger of electronic- cigarettes among students is a great problem”, he said. ” We discovered that some brand-new customers are just 13 years old. Even worse, some students yet bring these products into schools to sell them.
The Consumer Protection Board ( CPB) will take action to combat smoking, according to Mr. Warawut, as well as increase the public’s awareness of the problems of e-cigarettes.
He added that the board would file legal actions against those accused of being involved in the transmission of e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes are thought to be the main cause of Thailand’s rising vaping rate among young individuals.
Dr Prakit Vathesatogkit, the ASH chairman, cited a survey of 6, 700 Thai youths aged between 13 and 15 nationwide, which found that the number of young smokers had jumped from 3.3 % in 2015 to 17.6 % in 2022, or almost 5.3 times.
Additionally, the studies revealed a rise in fresh women’s smoking rates.
Dr. Prakit emphasized the importance of addressing the youth vaping illness, claiming that they are at risk of developing a nicotine addiction their entire lives.
A committee has been set up to create a vaping control policy, according to Dr. Suthep Phetmak, secretary-general of the National Health Commission ( NHC). The NHC even urged the government to keep enforcing its trade restrictions on these goods.
Pitaya Jinawat, of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation ( ThaiHealth ), stated that it was working with various organizations to reduce the prevalence of vaping among young people by raising awareness among students, teachers, and parents, as well as educating them about the risks of e-cigarettes, and supporting vaping-control measures.