E-cigarettes spread among youth, prompting urgent government crackdown

Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak stated on Friday (February 21, 2025) that the government is expediting efforts to crack down on and build immunity against smoking and e-cigarette use among children and youth. 

All government agencies have been instructed to integrate their efforts in suppressing and preventing the illegal production, import, or sale of e-cigarettes to curb their spread. If any area is found to have openly selling e-cigarettes in defiance of the law, or if officials neglect their duties by allowing such sales or accepting bribes to permit them, immediate action will be taken against those officials, Anukool warned.

"I reiterate that the government does not support anything that harms public health and strictly enforces the law against violators. Those who sell or distribute e-cigarettes face legal penalties of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 600,000 baht, or both. Importers will be subject to a prison sentence of up to 10 years, a fine amounting to five times the value of the goods, or both," said spokesperson.

Anukool further stated that the government is urgently warning children and youth about the spread of e-cigarettes, which are expanding their market to new consumers. It has been found that more young people are starting to use e-cigarettes due to a lack of awareness about the hidden dangers of these products. The current design and marketing strategies, particularly online advertisements offering extremely low prices—some as cheap as 99 baht—make e-cigarettes easily accessible to children and teenagers. 

Additionally, the appealing designs and inconspicuous appearance of these products make it difficult for parents to notice them. Recently, e-cigarettes have been designed to resemble art toys, which has gained widespread recognition.

The current e-cigarette situation in Thailand is concerning, despite clear legal prohibitions on sales and imports, as well as strict enforcement measures by government agencies. E-cigarettes are still widely available, with sellers adapting their product designs to be more visually appealing and adding flavours that mimic sweets, milk, and chocolate. This allows them to deceive parents and teachers while specifically targeting children and youth. As a result, the number of young people addicted to e-cigarettes is rising significantly.

A survey on e-cigarette use among Thai youth, conducted by the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education, the Thai Health Promotion Institute, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, found that 18.6% of Thai children and youth are addicted to e-cigarettes. 

The survey also revealed several misconceptions:

61.23% believe e-cigarettes help quit smoking traditional cigarettes.
51.19% think nicotine has positive effects on the body.
50.2% believe e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
26.28% assume e-cigarette liquids contain no nicotine.
23.28% mistakenly believe e-cigarettes are not illegal.

Due to aggressive e-cigarette marketing and the youth’s lack of awareness about the hidden health risks, the Ministry of Public Health reported that in 2024, over 100 cases of severe pneumonia among young individuals were linked to e-cigarette use.