The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Thailand to strengthen its law enforcement and monitoring system for vaping or electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), warning that the country could face a severe mass tragic addiction in the future if it fails to do so.
Dr Jos Vandelaer, the WHO representative to Thailand, made the remarks on Monday at a forum hosted by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation. He praised Thailand’s decision to ban the use of e-cigarettes in the country, but said that more needs to be done to ensure that the ban is effectively enforced.
He said that vaping is still widespread in Thailand, especially among young people, and that the government must monitor the sources, users, and reasons for using e-cigarettes. He also called for additional measures, such as banning advertising, digital marketing, or funding for e-cigarettes, to prevent the growth of the vaping market.
Vandelaer expressed his full support for the Action on Smoking and Health Foundation, the public sector, and related organisations in their efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of e-cigarettes. He cited scientific evidence that e-cigarettes are addictive, harmful, and unsafe, and that they emit substances that can cause cancer, lung disorders, poisoning, injuries, burns, and nicotine toxicity.
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He also said that e-cigarettes can have negative effects on cardiovascular health, brain development, and learning abilities, and that they pose a risk to bystanders as well. He stressed that there is no evidence that e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking, and that they may lead to long-term nicotine dependence.
“Don’t get fooled! There is as of now no evidence that the commercialisation of e-cigarettes as consumer products has had a net benefit for public health,” he said.
He added that WHO strongly supports Thailand in its approach to combat vaping, and that the organisation will continue to provide technical assistance and guidance to the country. He urged Thailand to follow the example of other countries that have taken strict actions against e-cigarettes, such as Australia, Brazil, India, and Singapore.
