New vape crackdown looms to protect kids

Issue ‘ignored for too long’, says Anutin

Authorities will take urgent action to combat the illegal use of electric cigarettes, saying it is important to suppress them as makers are increasingly preying on children, putting their health at risk.

“We have ignored the issue for too long. The authorities must begin solving the problem right now,” Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday during an event commemorating World No Tobacco Day.

Mr Anutin, a non-smoker, said e-cigarettes have been spreading rapidly among young people, with the number of addicted minors showing an alarming increase.

Like their traditional counterparts, e-cigarettes contain toxic chemicals that can contribute to diseases like cancer, coronary stenosis and emphysema, he said.

Following many complaints from parents, the minister said he had ordered state agencies to take legal action against vendors.

On the same day, Ramathibodi Hospital released a statement against all kinds of smoking and urged the government to better enforce regulations banning the importation and distribution of e-cigarettes.

The hospital also revealed its latest four-year study on adolescents who regularly use e-cigarettes or vapes. It found they were at higher risk of developing respiratory-related diseases: 1.8 times for asthma, 2.1 times for bronchitis, and 1.8 times in the case of general breathing difficulties.

Earlier on Thursday, the Dental Association and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) held a campaign warning young vapers against their use.

Dr Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon said e-cigarettes may look appealing because they do not emit smoke, have pleasant smells and are easy to carry around.

But while some use e-cigarettes to reduce stress, Dr Pongthep said this is all part of a trick nicotine plays on people’s minds.

“As nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine, the chemical of happiness, vaping may seem good at first, but it is a fake happiness.

“It creates a whiff of pleasure without doing anything meaningful and can lead to addiction and depression in the end,” he said.

According to some vapers, the feeling of stress relief or mild euphoria only lasts 2-3 minutes, he said.

Dr Pongthep also countered the belief that vapes can help people quit smoking regular cigarettes, saying the former contain more nicotine than their traditional counterparts.

“With easier access anywhere and at any time, they are even more dangerous,” he warned.

Dr Adirek Sriwatthanawongsathit, president of the Dental Association of Thailand, added that e-cigarettes also increase the risk of gum disease, which can result in tooth loss.

He had a message for parents: “Parents are the ones who support their children with resources and opportunities to use e-cigarettes, which is very concerning. They may think they are making them happy, but they are just handing them poison.”

Jadet Thammathataree, secretary-general of the National Health Security Office (NHSO), said the NHSO offers a free consultation service via its 1600 hotline to people who wish to kick the habit.

He said the service can help 32% of people quit smoking, compared to 3% without the consultation.

According to a survey by the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education and the World Health Organization, the rate of e-cigarette use among adolescents aged 13-15 years rose by 8.1% in 2021, compared with a 3.3% increase in 2015.