Ban Muang – Exposing the dangers of cigarettes causing economic losses of 3.5 billion baht

Unite against smoking and e-cigarettes, ThaiHealth promotes 400 smoke-free establishments Moving forward to drive smoke-free workers in good health, reminding workers that smoke the heaviest 21%, 80,000 people die from smoking, economic losses of 350 billion baht.

Date 16 May 2023 at the Novotel Hotel Future Park Rangsit, Pathum Thani Province Environmental Quality Development Association in collaboration with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) organized an honorary ceremony for smoke-free establishments under the concept: United Power of Establishments against e-cigarettes Provide 73 establishments that pass the assessment criteria for smoke-free establishments

by Ms. Rungarun Limlahaphan, Director of the Office of Support for the Control of Main Risk Factors, ThaiHealth, said that the latest National Statistical Office smoking rate survey in 2021 found that, in general, the smoking rate of the population aged 15 years and over decreased respectively But 21% of the working age group smoked, considered a group with a higher smoking rate than other groups. from the United Nations report in collaboration with the World Health Organization And the Thai Ministry of Public Health in 2021 found that each year more than 80,000 people die from smoking, accounting for 18% of all deaths. Of these, more than 6,000 people died from second-hand smoke, representing an average economic loss of 352 billion baht per year, equivalent to 2.1% of the United Nations gross domestic product (GDP). Advise that effective tobacco control in Thailand It requires an investment of 2,500 million baht per year (less than 1% of the economic loss from smoking). Within 15 years, it will reduce deaths from smoking by 35,790 people and reduce sickness from non-communicable diseases by 169,117 people. or every 1 baht invested will get a return of 2.53 baht

Ms. Rung Arun further said that ThaiHealth focuses on reducing the rate of tobacco and alcohol consumption. including protection for new smokers/drinkers, reducing and quitting smoking/drinking of former smokers/drinkers and taking care of a smoke-free environment by ThaiHealth. Supporting the Association for the Development of Environmental Quality Working on the development of smoke-free establishments since 2008, connecting, weaving and empowering the establishment to protect the health of employees from cigarette smoke. Currently, there are more than 4,000 smoke-free establishments, integrating work on other health-promoting issues such as Happy Workplace and developing a referral system for people who want to quit smoking to the Smoking Cessation Line 1600 to help people quit smoking successfully. make working-age groups have better health less sick able to work at full efficiency leading to efficient and effective performance of the establishment

Miss Sansanee Keeratiwiriyaphon The project manager for promoting health promotion in workplaces said that there are currently more than 400 smoke-free establishments out of more than 4,000 establishments participating in the project. This year, there are 73 establishments that have passed the assessment criteria. There is an environment in the workplace that is smoke-free. Help smokers to quit smoking successfully and seriously prevent new smokers from occurring in the workplace. Based on lessons learned and knowledge gained from worker smoking prevention and control. For entrepreneurs who are interested to use it as a guideline to drive healthy workers, smoke-free and other risky behaviors.

Mrs. Prapai Palakawong Na Ayuthaya, Assistant Vice President of Management and Human Resources, Indorama Polyester Industries Public Company Limited, said that the company places great importance on the health of its employees. therefore participated in the health promotion program for workers in the workplace resulting in the support of knowledge and tools to help quit smoking from ThaiHealth and government agencies Operations place importance on participation from employees at all levels and at all stages. There is a working group to support environmental management in the workplace to be smoke-free. and conducive to health promotion There is a mechanism to help employees who are addicted to smoking to quit smoking successfully. Parallel to preventing the emergence of new smokers. which focuses on educating employees about the dangers of cigarettes and e-cigarettes Currently, there are 43 employees participating in the smoking cessation project out of 107 employees who are addicted to cigarettes and 10 of them are able to quit smoking for more than 6 months, resulting in the company finally passing the evaluation as an outstanding smoke-free establishment.

In this event, there were 73 establishments awarded honorary awards, divided into 15 outstanding levels, 23 advanced levels, and 35 basic levels. “Knowledge about e-cigarettes” by the participants in this session were experts in risk factor control for cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Come to share experiences and views on the implementation of e-cigarette prevention in the workplace. on the facts about toxins in e-cigarettes that affect the health of smokers and those around them Marketing of e-cigarette companies that can reach all target groups and the applicable tobacco product control laws extend to establishments or industrial facilities.