Another Thai Twist
Despite it looking a possibility that Thailand would reverse its anti-vape stance, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the ban will remain in place “to protect youths”
-
by Dave Cross
Share on:
In 2021, Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, told local media that vaping is safer for people trying to quit smoking. Additionally, he announced he was looking at ways vaping could be legalised to offer a less harmful alternative to smoking regular cigarettes.
The announcement was greeted warmly by Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates: “Support for the Minister has gone global! This should be a massive wake-up call for Thailand’s Government. He’s on the side of science and his calls have exposed the fact that Thailand has fallen well behind internationally when it comes to adopting effective tobacco harm reduction policies.”
Ecigs have had a turbulent and confusing history in Thailand. A vape ban was introduced in 2014 - but nobody paid any attention to it. Vaping was repeatedly banned. Eventually, in 2017, authorities started cracking down on ecigs and vapers. The UK Foreign Office advised tourists that mods and juices were best left at home. Travel agents issued similar warnings. Vapers were arrested, fined, and some placed in jail.
Fast forward to February this year and Asa Saligupta, Director of ENDS Cigarette Smoke Thailand, said: “Countries which have chosen to legalise and regulate e-cigarettes have seen a fall in overall smoking rates and have much better control over youth vaping. It’s exciting for Thailand, and in fact the world, that the Government is now set to overturn its ban on the sale of vape products.”
The thing is that Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is staunchly rejecting any form of harm reduction approach. Bowing to conservative health groups and Bloomberg funded pressure, worried more about the potential loss to tobacco farmers than the benefits of helping adults quit smoking.
Last week, speaking to a national conference in Bangkok, Anutin Charnvirakul claimed a study last year “clearly showed vaping has created new smokers, especially young people, while a growing number of international studies found smoking e-cigarettes has negative effects on young people's brains”.
He claimed the Thailand ban has been a successful way of preventing teen vaping and argued that it must remain in place.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous vape companies to develop content for their websites.
Join the discussion
Parliament Fears Two
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs faced questions from a Conservative MP and, oddly, a member of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
-
by Dave Cross
Harm Reduction For The Rich
The United Kingdom risks becoming a harm reduction country only for the wealthy, according to Michael Landl of the World Vapers’ Alliance
-
by Dave Cross
Sacrificing Health For 2p Cut
Tory Government alienates vaping voters with its mission to cut tax by an unaffordable 2p to attract voters by placing a tax on vape products in the forthcoming budget
-
by Dave Cross
Scotland Announces Single-Use Vape Action
A ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Scotland is due to come into effect on 1 April 2025, under proposed legislation published today
-
by Dave Cross
