Thailand launches no smoking or drinking campaign on parliament grounds

The Parliament has decided to ban the smoking of cigarettes, vaping and alcoholic drinks on parliament grounds in a campaign to make parliament a permanent non-smoking area. The announcement coincides with National Public Health Day today.

House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said he received a petition from the Federation of Thai Medical Students, calling for parliament to be free from cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), in line with the Act Controlling Tobacco Products. The ban will set an example for Thai youth who are increasingly turning to vaping.

According to the federation and the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Centre (TRC), vaping among Thai youth, especially female students, has increased by 30.5% since the previous survey.

Wan Noor thanked the student body and the anti-smoking network for their concern over the health threat from…