CAPHRA Backs Evidence That Vaping Could Save Thousands Of Thai Lives

Wednesday, 19 March 2025, 8:07 am
Press Release: CAPHRA

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today endorsed compelling evidence presented by Asa Saligupta, Director of ENDs Cigarette Smoke Thailand, highlighting the life-saving potential of vaping as an alternative to deadly combustible cigarettes.

The Bangkok Post has revealed a stark public health contradiction: whilst 47 people die daily from smoking cigarettes—totalling 71,000 deaths annually—there has not been a single recorded death from e-cigarette use in Thailand. Despite this disparity, conventional cigarettes remain widely available in every convenience store whilst potentially life-saving vaping products remain prohibited.

"The evidence from Thailand mirrors what we've seen across the Asia-Pacific region—policies driven by misinformation rather than science are costing lives," said Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA Executive Coordinator.

"When Public Health England concluded that vaping is approximately 95% safer than smoking cigarettes, they provided a scientific foundation that many countries have used to develop sensible harm reduction policies."

Since e-cigarettes appeared approximately 20 years ago, more than 100 million people worldwide have been killed by combustible cigarettes, whilst fewer than 100 deaths have been attributed to vaping—an astonishing ratio of 10,000,000:1.

Research demonstrates vaping's effectiveness as a smoking cessation tool. A peer-reviewed study from 2021 found that daily e-cigarette usage among tobacco smokers can increase the likelihood of quitting smoking eightfold compared to other methods.

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"Every day that Thailand maintains its ban on vaping products is another day where 47 people will die unnecessarily from smoking-related diseases. This ban doesn't prevent access—it simply forces consumers into unregulated black markets without quality controls," Loucas stated. "The economic argument about protecting tobacco farmers rings hollow against the 93 billion baht spent annually treating smoking-related diseases."

CAPHRA acknowledges concerns regarding youth access but emphasises that proper regulation—not prohibition—is the appropriate solution. "We support restrictions on marketing to young people, but banning products that could save millions of adult smokers from premature death is neither 234567

"Thailand stands at a crossroads. It can continue its failed prohibition approach, or it can join the growing number of countries following scientific evidence to implement sensible regulations that will save countless lives," Loucas concluded.

About CAPHRA

CAPHRA Position Statement on Industry Independence:

• The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates (CAPHRA) is a regional alliance of consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations. CAPHRA is not related to, or funded by any commercial interests. It is composed of volunteer consumer advocates from the Asia Pacific Region. We hope putting forward this information would clarify any doubt as to our interests and intentions.
• CAPHRA stays committed to its mission to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use. We advocate for the rights of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region to access and use evidence-based, regulated, and properly marketed harm reduction products as a means of reducing the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases.

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