“We remain confident that Thailand’s parliament will
legalise and regulate vaping once the likely May General
Election has been held. The issue is simply too big to
ignore and the science too compelling,” says Asa
Saligupta, Director of ECST (ENDS Cigarette Smoke
Thailand).
“The authorities seem keen to remind
visiting tourists that vaping remains illegal in the
Kingdom. However, that doesn’t mean it’s always going to
be that way. We continue to make good progress behind the
scenes,” says Mr Saligupta
He says Tobacco Harm
Reduction (THR) advocates and consumer groups such as ECST
are working with government officials. Together, with public
health experts, they know exactly what needs to be done to
address Thailand’s smoking epidemic.
“This work
has been several years in the making. It hasn’t stopped.
In fact, draft vaping legislation awaits Thailand’s
parliament to debate and ratify. Realistically though, the
General Election will take precedence.
The ECST
Director says most politicians and the public remain
supportive of lifting the country’s failed vaping
ban.
“I remain fully confident that safer nicotine
products will be regulated in Thailand. Regulation will give
consumers better protection, encourage more smokers to quit
deadly cigarettes, and ensure we have much better control
over youth vaping with a strict purchase age,” he
says.
ECST says the likes of ThaiHealth have sadly got
into the ear of the Public Health Minister.
“Any
claim that driving vaping underground will protect the youth
is absolute rubbish. The way to protect young people is to
introduce strict regulation to kill off a lot of the black
market, deliver a minimum purchase age, and introduce
product safety standards. That’s how you protect the
youth,” says Mr Saligupta.
ECST says smoking kills
about 50,000 Thai people every year.
“If we want to
substantially reduce smoking-related illnesses and premature
deaths, we must lift Thailand’s harsh ban and penalties on
vape products. It’s simply not working. As many countries
have proven, it’s time to stop listening to the World
Health Organization’s (WHO) anti-vape campaign,” he
says.
In fact, nearly 70 countries have now adopted
regulatory frameworks on safer nicotine products, leading to
dramatic declines in their overall smoking
rates.
“As a reformed smoker, vaping has saved my
life. I and other THR advocates are not giving up – it’s
just too important. Legal and regulated access to
e-cigarettes is long overdue. This is life and death public
policy,” says Asa Saligupta.
ECST is a member of
CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction
Advocates).
“Thailand will get there thanks to the
sheer weight of scientific evidence and the hard work of THR
advocates like ECST. They’ve been incredibly patient, but
that will run out if the next government ignores the experts
and widespread public opinion. Thailand’s smokers must
have a legalised, safer alternative,” says Nancy Loucas,
Executive Coordinator of
CAPHRA.
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