BANGKOK, Thailand – The government, in collaboration with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and the Thailand Youth Institute, has launched a campaign to combat the increasing use of e-cigarettes among youth, encouraging them to redirect their spending into savings. A recent survey revealed that over half of the funds spent on e-cigarettes by Thai youth come from family members, with annual expenditures averaging nearly 27,000 baht. The campaign estimates that these redirected funds could grow to 1.8 million baht over 30 years through disciplined saving and investment.
E-cigarette use among Thai youth has surged dramatically, rising from 3.3% in 2020 to 17.6% in 2022. A survey of Bangkok youth aged 13–24 found that 73% spent between 501 and 1,000 baht weekly on e-cigarettes, heavily influenced by portrayals in films, TV dramas, and social media. To counter this trend, the “Happy New Life” campaign, launched for New Year 2025, seeks to promote healthier financial habits and improved lifestyle choices.
ThaiHealth has raised concerns about the deceptive appeal of e-cigarettes, which use vapor and fragrant flavors to attract users, including women and children. Some devices are designed to resemble toys, complicating parental supervision and leading to cases of addiction among children as young as first grade. The growing accessibility and misleading marketing of these products have created challenges for both families and health authorities.
To address these issues, the government is supporting education campaigns, including the 2024 World No Tobacco Day theme, “E-Cigarettes: Stop the Lies.” The efforts focus on the dangers of addiction, the toxic substances in e-cigarettes, and associated health risks, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, nervous system damage, and digestive disorders. Residual toxins, known as “third-hand smoke,” pose additional risks, affecting even non-users through skin irritation and other harmful effects. (NNT)
