Survey Shows E-cigarette Use Doubles Among Young Thais

Key Points

• E-cigarette use among Thais aged 15–29 rose from 3.6% to 8.4%;
• Female youth show higher growth in tobacco and vape use than males;
• Total e-cigarette users increased to about 1.7 million nationwide;
• Vaping has become a gateway product for new nicotine users;
• Experts propose a policy framework based on ban, enforcement and advocacy.

2Firsts, December 19,025 – Data presented at the forum “Revealing the E-cigarette Situation: Which Direction Should Thailand Take?” showed a rising trend in tobacco use among people under 30, particularly among female adolescents, according to Thailand’s latest national health survey.

The survey, supported by the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI), ThaiHealth, Ramathibodi Hospital Faculty of Medicine at Mahidol University, and anti-smoking organisations, found that e-cigarette use among those aged 15–29 jumped from 3.6% in 2020 to 8.4% in 2025. In contrast, smoking rates among people aged 60 and above declined.

Regionally, southern Thailand recorded the highest rate of regular cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke exposure at home. Bangkok showed the highest prevalence of youth vaping, followed by the northeast and central regions.

Associate Professor Roengrudee Patanavanich of Mahidol University said the findings confirm that e-cigarettes have not reduced the harms of smoking nor lowered national tobacco use. E-cigarette users increased from about 500,000 five years ago to 1.7 million today, with 44% using both e-cigarettes and cigarettes.

She noted that while tobacco consumption declined steadily before e-cigarettes entered Thailand in 2014, the decline slowed significantly afterward, while vaping continued to grow.

The survey also found a doubling of new nicotine users, especially among children and adolescents, with the average age of first e-cigarette use in the 10–14 age group at 11 years. About 500,000 people began vaping for the first time within the past year. Since 2022, more new users started with e-cigarettes than cigarettes, by a factor of three.

Peer influence was cited as the main reason for youth vaping, rather than smoking cessation. More than 70% of users aged 10–19 started because friends vaped. Younger children obtained devices from peers, while older adolescents purchased them online.

Researchers observed differences in youth vaping rates before and after the government intensified enforcement in early 2025, suggesting sustained crackdowns could have positive effects.

HSRI Deputy Director Jaruwaporn Srisaras said the findings would be synthesised into policy proposals ahead of the 2026 general election. Proposed measures on e-cigarettes are expected to follow a “B-E-A” framework: banning e-cigarettes, strengthening enforcement, and expanding advocacy through public institutions and social media.

Experts at both city and national levels stressed that future policies must place children and adolescents at the centre of Thailand’s response to vaping.

Image source: Hfocus