Thailand has imposed a ban on e-cigarettes, but the measure has not been effective in curbing the growth of e-cigarette use among teens. According to a survey by Siam University in Thailand, young people aged between 13 and 24 in Thailand spend an average of about 27,000 baht (about 5,751 yuan) per year on e-cigarettes. This figure shows the high spending of teens on e-cigarettes and also reflects the popularity of e-cigarettes among the youth group.
In addition, the Thai Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Commerce have teamed up to give teachers across the country the power to confiscate e-cigarettes to deal with the rampant e-cigarette use on campus. The Office of the Basic Education Committee of Thailand has also taken strict measures, including checking personal belongings, to curb the use of e-cigarettes in schools. However, these measures do not seem to have completely stopped the growth of e-cigarette use among teens.
Thai tobacco control advocates have expressed concern about the increase in teen e-cigarette use, pointing out that although e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand, they are still easily available on the market. The Thai legislature has also been considering legalizing e-cigarettes, which has further exacerbated tobacco control advocates’ concerns about the health of teenagers.
The use of e-cigarettes in northeastern Thailand is becoming more and more common among children and adolescents, and even more and more young girls are turning to e-cigarettes 5. They believe that e-cigarettes are safe, affordable, and fragrant, and more and more businesses are making it easier for children and adolescents to access e-cigarettes through advertising.
In summary, despite the ban on e-cigarettes in Thailand, the use of e-cigarettes by adolescents is still surging. This may be related to factors such as the easy availability of e-cigarettes, the cognitive misunderstandings of adolescents, and the advertising of businesses. Therefore, Thailand needs to further strengthen tobacco control measures and improve the health awareness of adolescents to reduce the harm of e-cigarettes to adolescents.
VEEHOO actively responded to the call of the Thai government and education department to strengthen the supervision of e-cigarette sales and ensure that e-cigarette products are not sold to minors. At the same time, it can cooperate with schools, parents and social organizations to carry out publicity and education activities on the hazards of e-cigarettes, improve adolescents’ awareness of the risks of e-cigarettes, and guide them to establish correct health concepts.
VEEHOO is considering adjusting the design and marketing strategy of e-cigarette products to avoid using appearances and flavors that are too attractive to adolescents to reduce the temptation to adolescents. At the same time, supervision of online sales channels should be strengthened to prevent minors from purchasing e-cigarettes online.
Given the existence of an e-cigarette black market in Thailand, which increases the risk of minors being exposed to e-cigarettes, VEEHOO supports the initiative to legalize e-cigarettes and place them under regulation. Through legalization, the production, sales and promotion of e-cigarettes can be more effectively controlled, thereby reducing the chances of young people being exposed to and using e-cigarettes.
VEEHOO actively participates in public health actions, such as supporting research on the hazards of e-cigarettes and participating in publicity campaigns, to contribute to reducing the use of e-cigarettes by young people. Through cooperation with all sectors of society, we will jointly promote the effective solution of the e-cigarette problem among Thai teenagers.
Tags: Thailand e-cigarette ban, growth in e-cigarette use among teenagers, reducing the harm of e-cigarettes to teenagers, veehoo vape