Second-hand smoke exposes Thais to health risks

[webfact]

Second-hand smoke exposes Thais to health risks

By The Nation

 

 

ABOUT 17.3 million Thais are victims of second-hand smoking at home, with a prolonged daily exposure of 30 minutes imposing a greater risk of cardiovascular problems and strokes, Dr Prakit Vathesatogkit, head of Action on Smoking and Health Foundation said yesterday.

 

Their risk of developing coronary heart disease will rise by 30 per cent and the risk of stroke will double, he added, citing a 2017 report from the National Statistics Office.

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that Thailand suffers economic losses worth Bt75 billion a year from smoking and Prakit urged Thai authorities to strictly enforce the Tobacco Product Control Act 2017 to discourage smoking in prohibited zones to protect non-smokers.

 

In a Bangkok media conference ahead of May 31’s World No Tobacco Day, Prakit cited a WHO report finding that 2,615 Thais died yearly from coronary heart disease or strokes triggered by smoking, with victims as young as 21 to 25 years old. These people were among 6,500 Thais who die from second-hand smoking-triggered health complications each year, he said.

 

“Many victims inhale second-hand cigarette smoke from nearby people at offices and especially at home. Although smoking isn’t illegal, the smokers should be aware of harms caused to others and try to quit. It you cannot kick the habit, at least you should not smoke in the house,” Prakit said. 

 

The 2017 Act increases the number of areas where smoking is banned and requires that owners of those premises prevent people from smoking. “This existing law should be enforced strictly," he said.

 

About 100,000 Thais die from coronary heart disease or stroke each year – of which 20,000 reportedly stemmed from smoking, noted Dr Khanchit Likittanasombat, a cardiologist at Bangkok’s Ramathibodi Hospital cardiologist, and president of the Heart Association of Thailand.

 

Khanchit said smokers aged 30-45 had a four-time greater chance of dying from coronary heart disease or stroke than non-smokers.

 

Dr Praditchai Chaiseri, from the Heart Foundation of Thailand, said second-hand smokers had 1.25-1.27 times the risk of coronary artery disease and 1.25-1.35 times the risk of a stroke than non-smokers.

 

Srisavarindhira Thai Red Cross Institute of Nursing executive Dr Duangkamol Wattradul shared real-life stories of patients aged 21-39 suffering from coronary heart disease, along with an 18-year-old who suffered a stroke from exposure to second-hand smoke.

 

A WHO representative to Thailand, Dr Daniel Kertesz, said the international health body was this year emphasising the danger of smoking on cardiovascular heath in its campaign to reduce cigarette and tobacco consumption.

 

“Each year three million people around the world die from cardiovascular problems and stroke – which are Thailand’s top-rating killers too, because 15,000 Thais die from cardiovascular diseases due to smoking,” he said.

 

“A working-age smoker has four times more risk of having coronary heart disease or a stroke than non-smokers,” he said.

 

“Thailand has progressed in tobacco control but smoking remains a major problem as one fifth of adults and one sixth of youths are smokers – an estimated 11 million people,” he said.

 

 Kertesz cited a WHO study from 2009 that estimated Thailand suffered economic losses worth Bt75 billion a year from smoking.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30345959

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-22

[Get Real]

And this is something they found out now? Like 30-40 year after the rest of the world.
 

Anyway, it´s great news that they finally managed to see the connection.

[kannot]

17 minutes ago, Get Real said:

And this is something they found out now? Like 30-40 year after the rest of the world.
 

Anyway, it´s great news that they finally managed to see the connection.

the not so great news is nothing will change

[jaltsc]

"Second-hand smoke exposes Thais to health risks"

It also exposes non Thais to heath risks too. As with most laws and regulations, the "Do Not Smoke" signs are ignored since the law is not enforced. When was the last, or  for that matter, first time anyone has been fine 2000 baht for smoking in a restaurant or public venue?

And those who choose not to smoke inside, usually sit themselves at the front entrance and smoke. Thus exposing everyone entering and leaving to their noxious second hand fumes.

Don't expect anything to change. Since, in Thailand, just printing an article is considered equivalent to taking actions and solving problems.

 

[johng]

And the health risks from the burning of fields,burning of backyard plastic and vehicles belching exhausts not to mention the proposed coal fired power stations.

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Their risk of developing coronary heart disease will rise by 30 per cent and the risk of stroke will double, he added, citing a 2017 report from the National Statistics Office.

if secondary smoke does that, imagine what the smokers themselves are experiencing

[mikebell]

There's more threat on a 100 metre walk along ANY Thai road than a year of passive smoking.

[rossd]

41 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

if secondary smoke does that, imagine what the smokers themselves are experiencing

I am 72 years old and have been smoking for 56 years. I do not smoke in the house and I am very conscious of those around me when I eat out. 

[Emster23]

Step outside and get some fresh air.... especially if BKK or Chiang Mai. On second thought....

[peperobi]

Yes right they are at risk but that is a small risk compared to the very bad air quality in Thailand! All those "experts" just talking about things that everyone knows already because they like to get mentioned again in the media, I call it "exhibitionist".

[klauskunkel]

Will you look at that: second-hand-smoke concept has arrived in Thailand..., next they will claim they invented it.

[anon467367354]

the smoke from cooked meat is carcinogenic, why is that not addressed? Maybe the second hand smoke causing all these deaths is coming from grilling pigs and chickens.

[HerbalEd]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

There's more threat on a 100 metre walk along ANY Thai road than a year of passive smoking.

"ANY" road?? Hyperbolic much?

[stanleycoin]

And Thailand   bans E-Cigarettes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

[alant]

1 hour ago, johng said:

And the health risks from the burning of fields,burning of backyard plastic and vehicles belching exhausts not to mention the proposed coal fired power stations.

Agree but you can't use to increase taxes so ignore the problem???

[BEVUP]

1 hour ago, Emster23 said:

Step outside and get some fresh air.... especially if BKK or Chiang Mai. On second thought....

Yes many more things then just smoke 

The article says second hand smoke from offices (maybe entrances ) & houses inside 

Well if they're stupid enough to let people smoke inside they deserve it 

As for office area it wont make much difference as you would get chocked up by all the fumes of vehicles, air pollution, Ect

 

PS: Then again look at their diet - How many are Diabetic

                                                            How many have Blood problems 

                                                            How many have had strokes (without being in                                                                      rooms with smokers )

Edited May 22, 2018 by BEVUP

[RichardColeman]

Waiting for some idiot to defend smoking next to my 2 year old in the restaurants here now.

[Khun Paul]

WHY is Thailand so late in this recognition , smoke from anything in Thailand is bad for you, from local lady cooking meat on the side of the road to major market areas, plus farmers actions, YET they concentrate on second-hand smoke from smokers. 

The Thai way of ignoring all LAWS is now coming to fruition , how many deaths attributable to this will be needed to spur the enforcement agencies to act. probably not enough methinks . 

[mok199]

all those smoke belching tour buses...

[seajae]

maybe if they enforced the no smoking rules in restaurants it would help, the amount of times I have had to stand up and and start to leave the restaurant when the idiots on the table next to us light up while we are eating is beyond a joke. The owners come running over and we tell them that unless the smokers put their cigarettes out or leave we will leave as well  as its illegal for them to be smoking. There owners usually get upset but do tell the smokers to stop, we get dirty looks but I refuse to simply let it slide because just because they are inconsiderate ar*eholes. Why have laws if they are not going to enforce them, something Thailand is very good at as the police refuse to leave their offices

[sammieuk1]

They may consider a move to Chiang Mai's fine air to mitigate side smoke health risks.

[stanleycoin]

With all that Incense burning,  I think they should ban Temples, 

they're  just bad for your health. 

Edited May 22, 2018 by stanleycoin

[Yann55]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The 2017 Act increases the number of areas where smoking is banned and requires that owners of those premises prevent people from smoking. “This existing law should be enforced strictly," he said.

 

Here's an interesting consequence of the ban :

 

I'm a non-smoker who lives in Jomtien and goes walking along Dongtan beach every morning and every evening (in the magical part that is still relatively car-free, but the local authorities are working on that).

 

Before the ban I occasionally found myself inhaling secondhand cigarette smoke whenever I walked past or behind a smoker. Now that they're all dutifully gathered in the back of the beach (which is where people like me walk, run or cycle), I get to share so much of their secondhand smoke that I probably inhale the equivalent of at least one whole cigarette every time.

 

It's infuriating, of course, but the irony of it also makes me laugh, which is better than anger. In Buddhist teachings you are told, over and over, how bad events/actions/people can bring about good ones, and vice versa. A good example.

 

 

Edited May 22, 2018 by Yann55

[stanleycoin]

Moaning about second hand smoke out doors,  

 

[robertthesculptor]

Yet another well disproven bit of psudoscience   glommed onto by psudo science and those who chase wild therapies... Oh wake up.... 

[jaltsc]

3 hours ago, johng said:

And the health risks from the burning of fields,burning of backyard plastic and vehicles belching exhausts not to mention the proposed coal fired power stations.

What is supposedly illegal for individuals is perfectly legal when done on a large scale basis by governments. A good example is from Detroit. At one time, it was illegal for an individual to urinate into the Detroit River (which led to Lake Michigan). However, the municipality of Detroit dumped all of its waste into the same river. Go figure.

[anon467367354]

37 minutes ago, mok199 said:

all those smoke belching tour buses...

 

[anon467367354]

20 minutes ago, stanleycoin said:

With all that Incense burning,  I think they should ban Temples, 

they're  just bad for your health. 

 

[happy chappie]

Pesticides,herbicides,cyanides,pm2.5 pollutants including heavy metals in the water,carbon monoxide.smoking one of the worst tobacco around.eating sea food contaminated with nano plastic,formaldehyde in god knows what.death by scooter is starting to sound like a good way out rather than a slow lingering death from these poisons.

[AsiaCheese]

But like (almost) every government anywhere, they'll still happily sell you the stuff and keep increasing taxes on it - and we're talking massive state income. That's despite the fact that years and years of research world-wide has shown that increasing prices will deter very, very few smokers from their addiction.