Thailand's Parliament Will Evaluate The Legalization Of E-cigarettes, And The Petition Against It Has Received 600,000 Signatures

Thailand's parliament will evaluate the legalization of e-cigarettes, and the petition against it has received 600,000 signatures

The legalization of e-cigarettes in Thailand has been blocked, and a petition against legalization has collected nearly 600,000 signatures. Experts warn that legalization may harm society and youth health.

According to TPN on December 11, the Thai Parliamentary Committee will evaluate the legal sale of e-cigarettes in the country on December 12, but this move has been strongly opposed by civic groups, youth networks and foundations. The petition against legalization has collected nearly 600,000 signatures.

Thai education expert Jidabang Sompong criticized the credibility of the committee, alleging that the committee's conclusions may be biased due to the participation of private sector representatives related to the e-cigarette industry. He specifically pointed out some aggressive marketing methods targeting teenagers under the age of 8, which packaged e-cigarettes as fashionable and accessible products, especially through online platforms.

According to him, the number of young e-cigarette users has increased by 2 to 3 times from 2015 to 2022. TPN media pointed out that this increase occurred during the period of complete ban on e-cigarettes. Supporters of legalization believe that this shows the failure of a complete ban, and reasonable regulation may be a better option.

Supporters of legalization argue that it could increase tax revenue by regulating the current underground market. However, Jitapong Sompong cited research that the cost of treating e-cigarette-related diseases is said to be three times the tax revenue. He called on lawmakers not to focus solely on economic benefits, but to carefully weigh the views of all parties, emphasizing that if they decide to support legalization, it could cause long-term damage to public health and social integrity.

In addition, 14 medical associations unanimously opposed the legalization of e-cigarettes.