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Thailand has a major problem with a black market vape market that sells illegal and unregulated products, and in some cases, products that are openly sold to minors. How do they keep popping up?
Thai tobacco control experts are sounding the alarm over a new trend involving a new type of vape called “Toy Pods”. They are designed to resemble popular cartoon characters, aiming to attract school-age children and university students.
Additionally, there is a thriving black market for illegal e-cigarettes, which are in most cases sold openly (they are sold openly and without any age restrictions). Experts have long believed that this is a result of Thailand’s tough stance on vaping and its refusal to regulate vaping products.
A 2019 survey conducted at the annual Global Nicotine Forum (GFN) in Warsaw ranked Thailand as the least friendly country in the world for vapers, followed by Australia. In Thailand, a ban on the import, export, sale and possession of vaping products has been in place since November 2014. Anyone found to be in violation of this law will have their vapes confiscated and be fined or imprisoned for up to 10 years if convicted.
In 2021, things looked hopeful when the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, said he was looking into legalizing the sale of e-cigarettes. At the time, he told the Bangkok Post that in his opinion, vaping could be a safer alternative for those struggling to quit smoking. Moreover, he said, local tobacco growers and the Thai Tobacco Authority would benefit greatly if the tobacco industry were transformed into a more sustainable and safer industry.
In August 2022, the minister reiterated his stance at a rally where people were campaigning at his ministry. He said that regulating vapes would allow the country to benefit from tax revenue as well as provide a safer option to quit smoking. He even mentioned setting up a working group to analyze how the products could be legalized for smokers looking for an alternative to help them quit.
The Ministry of Health remains steadfast in its support of the ban.
Sadly, a few months later, any hopes were dashed when the local health ministry advised against lifting the ban. “Continuing to ban all types of e-cigarettes used for vaping will ‘help protect non-smokers from health hazards,’ Perm-Sector Health Minister Kiattipoom Wongrachit said at a meeting of the government’s tobacco council. “The ban on the sale of e-cigarettes is an important measure to protect children,” he added.
Speaking at a national conference on tobacco and public health later that year, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stressed the importance of banning these products, saying that more than 80,000 vapers in Thailand are aged 15-24.
Charnvirakul incorrectly claimed that vaping had led to the creation of new smokers, especially among young people. He said that a growing number of international studies highlighted the negative impact of e-cigarette use on young people’s brain development, equating the effects of smoking and vaping.
Furthermore, Charnvirakul asserted that implementing a vaping ban would protect Thailand’s youth. However, Asa Saligupta, Director of ECST (ENDS Cigarette Smoke Thailand), refuted this assertion, saying the opposite was true. Saligupta stated that legalizing and regulating vaping would help Thailand better control e-cigarette use among youth, while emphasizing that the current ban is worsening the situation.
“The concealed vaping only makes it more appealing to young people. Furthermore, the complete lack of regulatory control allows the black market to thrive, without any safety standards for the products,” Saligupta added. And sadly, that is exactly what has been happening.
Pods come in cute cartoon characters and are miniature like toys or like food.
Discussing the proliferation of “Toy Pods,” Srirach Lapyai, project manager at the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC), noted that vape manufacturers are producing vapes that resemble popular cartoon characters or cute miniature models of various items such as toys, food, or stationery. These products are said to contain up to 5% synthetic nicotine and are capable of delivering up to 15,000 puffs.
There have been reports that toy-shaped vapes have become popular even among elementary school children, which is of course alarming. Many first graders have been found carrying these devices, which, due to their cute miniature figurine-like mouthpiece design, are often difficult to identify as e-cigarettes.
TRC Director Dr Vijj Kasemsup noted that these new generation vape manufacturers are specifically targeting young people by setting up stores and launching advertising campaigns on social media platforms that suit the interests and lifestyles of young people. A recent report identified 309 online vendors selling illegal e-cigarettes through social media channels such as X, Facebook and Instagram between January and February.
Thai authorities have identified 70 vape shops located within 500 metres of schools and universities in Bangkok. Proposed legal action against these establishments is aimed at establishing a safety mechanism to curb the spread of e-cigarettes among students and teenagers.
Stubbornly pursuing a plan that is failing miserably
Dr. Kasemsup highlights the adverse health effects of nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes on children. Sadly, instead of advocating for regulated products, he is urging the Thai government to maintain the ban on vaping and vape imports, and to actively enforce regulations against such products, essentially requiring more enforcement.
Meanwhile, the ECST director has previously said he remains confident that vaping products will eventually be regulated, as politicians and the public support lifting the ban. “Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) advocates will continue to work quietly behind the scenes. Regulations will provide greater protection for consumers, encourage more smokers to quit, and ensure we have much better control over youth use of e-cigarettes and strict age limits for purchase,” said Asa Saligupta.
