FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Dangers of vaping including pneumonia stressed

Dangers of vaping including pneumonia stressed

A meeting of the National Tobacco Products Control Committee yesterday (November 7) approved a framework for monitoring pneumonia caused by electronic cigarettes, and assigned monitoring duties to all hospital and public health centre nationwide, Samrueng Yangkratok, Public Health Minister’s assistant and the president of the meeting.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of October 29, 1,888 cases of pneumonia had been attributed to patients’ smoking electronic cigarettes, of whom 37 had died. In Thailand, the use of hookahs and electronic cigarettes has increased three times in young people aged 15 to 18.
“Our tobacco products use survey shows 20 per cent of Thai youths who smoke are vaping,” Samrueng said. Anyone affected by the smoke and vapours put out by electronic cigarettes or find themselves short of breath, have chest pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, abdominal pain, fever, or weight loss, should go to a hospital or public health centre for immediate treatment”, the Department of Disease’s director-general Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai suggested.
In addition, e-cigarettes are filled with liquid nicotine, which affects the brains of babies, children, and youths causing poor memory, lower intelligence, and affecting behaviour. Liquid nicotine also increases the risk of heart disease.
“The smoke emitted by e-cigarette is dangerous to the lungs, increasing the risk for numerous kinds of cancer” said the director-general. “Meanwhile fungus caused by sub-standard liquid nicotine or other addictive substances can sometimes be found in the e-cigarette holders and also poses risks to users’ health. To date, there have been 2,035 cases of electronic cigarettes exploding reported in the US.”

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