Most small tobacco-product retailers against proposed regulations, survey finds

They also have a negative outlook on the country’s overall economy and the state of their businesses.

The survey was conducted by Nida Poll on behalf of the association last month through telephone interviews with 1,011 small retailers nationwide who have tobacco products available in their stores. The finding that 79 per cent are concerned about the TCCA is very similar to last year’s poll (78 per cent). These respondents believe the act should be thoroughly reviewed by MPs after the next election to make sure that such regulations are effective and will not have negative impacts later on. 

Moreover, 63 per cent of Thai retailers believe that the country’s economy is worse than it was last year, and only 21 per cent believe their business will do better next year. Therefore, no further legislation that is damaging to business should be executed during the current cloudy economic outlook.

“The TTTA and our members, who are small retailers, are very much concerned about the details found within the proposed TCCA,” said Anchana Cheewavimol, president of the association. “Three-fourths of retailers overwhelmingly believe that such extreme regulations will cause burdens and harm to their businesses, as well as to the country’s business and economy as a whole. 

“A majority of retailers – 52 per cent – have said that extreme regulatory measures would cause a dramatic increase in the use of roll-your-own tobacco and would not help decrease smoking rates at all. 

“Finally and most importantly, they do believe that the government should instead further enhance the enforcement of the current tobacco-control regulations as well as focusing on education in order to reduce smoking rates effectively without causing negative effects on small retailers.”

Major topics related to potential actions to reduce smoking rates in Thailand that most retailers agreed upon are described below.

_ 34 per cent of retailers think education is the best approach to reducing smoking.

_ 29 per cent think further restrictions on where people can smoke should be enforced.

_ 24 per cent think better enforcement of current laws and restrictions related to smoking is important.

_ 8 per cent think taxes should be raised in order to make cigarettes more expensive.

_ Only 4 per cent think the government should pass the comprehensive tobacco regulations described earlier.

As previously, this year’s survey shows that tobacco retailers consider plain packaging one of their top concerns, as it would have significant negative consequences on their businesses. Ninety-two per cent think it would make their day-to-day activities such as placing orders, inventory management, restocking, and serving customers more complicated. 

Another 90 per cent believe plain packaging would lead to an increase in branded packs being smuggled into Thailand. And because all packs will look the same, it will be easier to counterfeit, resulting in an increase in number of fake cigarettes sold in the country.

Nearly all retailers (90 per cent) feel that given the expected negative impacts and lack of impact on smoking rates, the TCCA should be a low priority for the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the Cabinet, and the National Legislative Assembly. Seventy-nine per cent feel that wide-ranging bills like the TCCA should be debated, discussed, and decided upon by elected members of Parliament, not legislators appointed by the military.

“This survey confirms that the draft TCCA is an important matter that needs to be carefully considered on its impacts, as it does not serve as a health-promotion law,” said Varaporn Namatra, executive director of the Thai Tobacco Trade Association. “Instead, it will hurt retail businesses, as its extreme regulations will cause burdens and increase many costs for small retailers. 

“This concept contradicts the government’s and NCPO’s policy of supporting small businesses. The TTTA would like to take this opportunity to ask the minister of public health and the government to listen to the voices of small retailers and affected groups before pushing the law forward. Hurting small retailers is definitely not the final answer for effective tobacco control,” she said.