Thailand Rejects E-Cigarette Tax, Cites Health Over Revenue
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control has rejected a proposal to tax e‑cigarettes, insisting that public health must take precedence over potential revenue. It warned that future medical costs from e‑cigarette‑related illnesses would far exceed any tax gains and that legalizing sales would increase youth access and mislead consumers about safety. The agency urged continued enforcement of the current ban and stronger prevention measures.
The Department of Disease Control, under the Ministry of Public Health, issued a statement on October 9, 2069 (in the Thai calendar) reaffirming Thailand’s ban on the import and sale of all e‑cigarette products. It argued that moving to tax e‑cigarettes would legitimize their use, increase access for young people, and raise long‑term health‑care costs that would dwarf any tax income. The agency stressed that nicotine is addictive and that e‑cigarette aerosol contains harmful chemicals and fine particles that damage respiratory and cardiovascular systems. It warned that allowing legal sales for revenue would mislead the public into thinking the products are safe, especially children whose brain development could be harmed by nicotine. The Department called for continued prevention efforts, strict enforcement of the existing ban, and public education, insisting that policy decisions must be based on medical evidence and the protection of youth rather than on revenue considerations.
