Will Thailand Approve The Legalization Of Electronic Cigarettes? Most Members Of The Special Committee Support The Regulatory Plan

According to The Pattaya News report, Sarit Sitthiserichon, a representative of Thai e-cigarette users, expressed her gratitude to the lower house of the Thai Parliament for taking a serious attitude towards studying the regulations of e-cigarettes in Thailand. The ad hoc committee responsible for studying the legislation and regulatory measures of e-cigarettes proposed three policy options. Most members supported the legalization and appropriate regulation of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs).
It is reported that the committee's report presented three policy choices: maintaining the current ban on e-cigarettes; legalizing and regulating only heated tobacco products; and legalizing and regulating both e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Among the 35 committee members, 26 supported the second and third options, favoring the termination of the ban and shifting to appropriate legal regulation.
Sarit added that Thailand is moving in the right direction, just like other countries, which previously banned e-cigarettes but eventually took regulatory measures.

"The report is regarded as a key step in addressing the e-cigarette issue in Thailand, especially the problem of youth use. Although Thailand has maintained an e-cigarette ban for more than ten years, this approach has failed to effectively reduce the usage rate. In fact, the number of e-cigarette users has increased tenfold in just two years. Moreover, the illegal e-cigarette market without quality control has expanded rapidly, and government regulation is difficult, posing health risks to users. These problems highlight the ineffectiveness of the ban. It is necessary to implement appropriate legislation like that in 80-plus countries around the world to ensure responsible regulation instead of a complete ban or an uncontrolled free market."
He also pointed out that during the committee's research process, supporters and opponents of e-cigarette legalization had equal opportunities to express their opinions on health, economic, and social aspects. After a comprehensive assessment of all factors, 26 out of the 35 committee members supported the second and third methods, namely full legalization and regulation.