PRESS RELEASE:
The Ministry of Interior has indicated that it is an urgent policy to eradicate e-cigarettes, following consistent daily reports of e-cigarette busts from administrative officials.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul has highlighted the urgent need to eradicate e-cigarettes, following consistent reports of e-cigarette busts by administrative officials.
Anutin stated that the issue may seem minor, but it is a significant national problem. The Non-Smoking Campaign Foundation recently reported that children as young as 10 are becoming addicted to e-cigarettes. He emphasized that e-cigarettes adversely affect children’s brain development. “Children are the future of the nation,” he said, adding that e-cigarettes hinder Thailand’s competitiveness globally due to the high number of Thai children addicted to them.
Minister Anutin mentioned that doctors in the Ministry of Public Health unanimously agree that e-cigarettes are dangerous and offer no benefits. He noted that e-cigarettes are just as harmful as traditional cigarettes, containing nicotine, which causes addiction.
The absence of nicotine leads to withdrawal symptoms, affecting mental focus and concentration. E-cigarettes are more alarming due to their easy accessibility and high addiction rates, especially among children. Illegal sales are rampant in and around schools despite being against the law.
The Minister pointed out that many parents have complained about this issue, which needs immediate attention. Thanks to tips from the public, officials have been effective in seizing e-cigarettes, with confiscated items valued from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of baht.
