Cambodian Authorities Crack Down on E-Cigarette Use

Authorities across the country are intensifying their campaign against electronic cigarettes, primarily targeting students and youth.

While legal action cannot be taken against users or sellers, authorities aim to reverse this trend by increasing awareness of the harmful effects of smoking e-cigarettes and educating users to be mindful of their behavior.

Meas Vyrith, Secretary-General of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), stated that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive and harmful to the brain development of adolescents. This damage can last until the early 20s. In addition to nicotine, e-cigarettes also contain harmful substances.

We are currently focused on curbing the use of electronic cigarettes and we will do more. The use of electronic cigarettes is unsafe for children, teenagers, and young adults, in fact, people of all ages are at risk. There are no laws prohibiting electronic cigarettes, so we can only educate users.

We cannot arrest and take them to court. We can only provide them with advice, hoping that they will listen.

However, we can take action against those who cunningly sell electronic cigarette devices. We are also exploring how to use existing laws and regulations to prevent this threat to public health," he said yesterday.

According to Vyrith, electronic cigarettes are popular among young people because they believe it's cooler and safer than traditional cigarettes. "They're mistaken. Users must be made aware of how unhealthy and dangerous using electronic cigarettes or smoking is," he added.

Teng Channath, the police chief of Siem Reap province, stated that the police have received multiple reports indicating that students in the province are increasingly using electronic cigarettes.

Brigadier General Channath has announced plans to educate middle and high school students in Siem Reap about the dangers of electronic cigarettes. The decision has been made due to reports from principals, the public, and even students that the use of these devices is becoming increasingly prevalent in the city. In addition to education, the police plan to conduct surprise raids on targeted schools next week to confiscate any electronic cigarette devices found on students and to discourage their use in the future.

He said that the police are considering using appropriate laws to crack down on and shut down electronic cigarette retailers.

Chuon Narin, the police chief of Preah Sihanouk province, has announced that police have been taking action against e-cigarettes for the past month, with particular focus on students and young people. Confiscations of devices have been stepped up, and tourists are being advised about the dangers of e-cigarettes.

Electronic cigarette retailers are no longer operating openly like before, and we are now trying to track them down," said General Narin.

According to Sith Loh, the police chief of Banteay Meanchey province, e-cigarettes are popular among teenagers and could be a gateway to drug abuse. Brigadier General Loh stated, "Local authorities are monitoring users and when we see them, we will inform them of the dangers of e-cigarettes and confiscate their devices.

Some students say that the Ministry of Education's ban on smoking and e-cigarettes is ineffective. 16-year-old Hak Nita is a ninth-grade student at Samdech Euv Samdech Me High School in Mondulkiri Province, and he believes that tobacco companies should be allowed to sponsor school activities "because it's indirect advertising".

Many of my friends smoke, but they do not openly do it. Instead, they hide and do it secretly. When they are outside of school, they are more open about smoking, but when they are on school grounds, there are many places where they can secretly smoke.

She said that the school cannot compromise when it comes to disciplining students who smoke. Ly Ratana, a undergraduate at the Health University, said that many young people smoke due to peer pressure. "When there are smokers in a group of friends, this tends to happen. I believe smoking is easy to start but hard to quit," he said.

Why is it that in our country tobacco companies can collaborate with the Ministry of Education and public and private educational institutions, when some countries have strict controls on tobacco products?" he asked.

Dr. M Mom Kong, the Executive Director of Cambodia's Health Action Movement, has suggested that increasing tobacco taxes could be a way to reduce smoking rates. He stated that, "If tobacco taxes are increased, cigarettes will become more expensive and fewer people, especially young people, will purchase them.

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