Phuket, Thailand: Strengthening Control for Tobacco and E-cigarettes

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew met with representatives from the Anti-Smoking Foundation and Phuket Smoke-Free News at an event held at the Phuket Royal City Hotel on August 19th. They signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance control measures related to tobacco and e-cigarette usage.

The participants mainly consisted of school administrators and representatives from local government agencies. During the event, Dr. Niti Hethanurak, Deputy Director of the Thai Disease Control Department, provided a detailed overview of the key strategies for preventing and controlling the "youth e-cigarette epidemic". It is hoped that these efforts will bring Phuket Province in line with international standards for tobacco acquisition and usage.

In addition, the signing of the memorandum of understanding will complement these efforts by attracting cooperation from all relevant government agencies to prevent all Thai citizens, especially children and adolescents, from becoming addicted to various tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, by timely and accurately communicating potential dangers.

Officials have stated that it is necessary to strictly enforce a ban on the sale of such products and closely monitor their acquisition, especially when it comes to e-cigarettes, which have become increasingly popular among young people.

Phuket Island, one of Thailand's largest islands, is renowned worldwide as a top vacation destination due to its natural landscapes and abundance of activities. However, the island has seen an influx of tourists bringing the habit of using e-cigarettes, leading to an increased interest among young people in this new form of smoking. Additionally, the various entertainment venues on the island have become popular spots for young individuals to engage in e-cigarette use.