The problem of second-hand smoke is still worrisome.

Problem of secondhand smoke I lived with Thai people for a long time So long that many people see it as normal, which makes everyone not understand that Secondhand smoke hand It kills tens of thousands of Thai people every year.

Many organizations in the government sector are trying to campaign for smoking. Don’t hurt others around you. Or if it’s good I quit smoking completely. But in today’s society Returning to more and more false beliefs Due to the introduction of electronic cigarettes that attract more attention from young people And with electronic cigarettes It does not have a strong smell like real cigarettes The more it causes the habit of smoking in the home or residence. That makes the problem of getting toxins from second-hand smoke much more dangerous

Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital Mahidol University in collaboration with the Foundation for International Health Policy Development and the Health Promotion Foundation (Thai Health Promotion Foundation) organized a conference on “Invisible killer: How many people Thai who die every year from secondhand smoke” to collect and exchange ideas. Regarding the problem of cigarette smoke It is reported that It kills 20,000 Thai people every year.

There were many active speakers in the debate on this topic. Join the experience on stage, starting with Professor Dr. Ruengrudee Patanawanit, Lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine. Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital He mentioned the situation where secondhand smoke is exposed. Second-hand smoke is an imminent danger that many people may overlook. This is a big problem because there are currently 34 million Thai people who do not smoke, but these people are exposed to secondhand smoke from people around them who smoke. especially at home The level of secondhand smoke among Thai people is comparable to other countries. it is at a very high level From the data from the Thai Population Health Survey with Physical Survey No. 6 (2019), found that 70% of Thai people were exposed to secondhand smoke. Meanwhile, a British survey in 2019 found that only 30% of British people were exposed to secondhand smoke, which is more than 1 time less than in Thailand In Thailand, women are exposed to secondhand smoke at home 68% more than men. who received 47% of secondhand smoke from their homes compared to 57 other countries, especially Thai women aged 15-49 years were the group who received secondhand smoke. It is the 5th highest in the world.

This is a worrying situation. As there is currently research evidence published by the British Journal of Cancer in 2024, it has been confirmed that Inhaling second-hand smoke increases the risk of breast cancer in women by 1.24 times, with the risk going their size with the extent and duration of exposure to second-hand smoke. Breast cancer is the number one cancer found among Thai women Every year, there is an increase of 18,000 breast cancer patients per year in Thailand, with 4,800 deaths per year calculated, this is equivalent to 13 people per day.

Mr. Raksaphon Sanitya, a researcher on the plan to develop the Thailand Disease Index The Foundation for International Health Policy Development said that data from the Burden of Disease Report from risk factors in the Thai population in 2019 saw 20,688 Thai people die from second-hand smoke every year, with the largest number of deaths from stroke at 9,080 cases, accounting for 44%, followed by ischemic heart disease, 4,223 cases, accounting for 20 %, lung and bronchial cancer, 1,972 cases, accounting for 9%, and there are other diseases, including type 2 diabetes, lower respiratory diseases, and breast cancer. ‘ measure the burden of disease from exposure to secondhand smoke among Thai people in 2019, look at the value of health years lost. or the number of years lost due to ill health, disability, or premature death ) Compare health years lost worldwide. The burden of disease from secondhand smoke in Thailand was found to be high compared to many countries such as Australia (117.1 years per 100,000 population), Japan (221.69 years per 100,000 population), and England (154.48 years per 100,000 crowd). , etc.

Prof. Dr. Suwanna Rueangkanjanaseth Deputy Director of the Center for Research and Knowledge Management for Tobacco Control (CRC) said that children are a group that is more susceptible to second-hand smoke than adults. In Thailand, it was found that 55% of children aged 1-5 years lived in homes with smokers, with the highest rate being 62% in Bangkok Research in Thailand that compared factors co- associated with the development of respiratory diseases bronchitis or pneumonia. Children who live in homes with smokers have a four times higher risk of developing lower respiratory tract disease. the standard rate.

Prof. said. Dr. Suwanna to that Currently, there are more and more electronic cigarettes. But many people still misunderstand that the vapor from e-cigarettes is harmless because of their pleasant smell. and there is no smoke from burning In fact, the dangers of second-hand smoke from e-cigarettes are harmful to your health. E-cigarette smoke contains nicotine, PM2.5, heavy metals and carcinogens. Therefore, areas where electronic cigarettes are used are considered to cause air pollution that adversely affects the health of both smokers and non-smokers. Foreign research shows that being exposed to second-hand smoke from e-cigarettes The risk of developing diseases such as atrial fibrillation increases 1.06 times, bronchitis increases 1.4 times, dyspnea increases 1.53 times, uncontrolled asthma increases 1.88 times, and mental illness increases 1.43 times.

Prof. said. Prakit Vathesathakakit, an expert member of the National Tobacco Products Control Board, that second-hand smoke, both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes, has an effect on non-smokers. Results can be seen within a short period of time on both the respiratory system and the heart, such as irritation and damage to the respiratory mucosa. Leads to asthma attacks and severe symptoms in people who already have asthma. Fragile blood vessels Not flexible This causes blood to flow slowly to the heart. There is a chance of having a sudden heart attack.

Even though Thailand has a law that prohibits smoking in public places. But our law enforcement is not very good. The score that the World Health Organization has assessed us at 6 points out of 10, especially now that there is an e-cigarette epidemic. and it is smoked in public or in the media, even if it is illegal Therefore, I want to communicate with the government to take this matter seriously. Because lessons have been learned from abroad, countries that strictly enforce the law that prohibits smoking in public places can reduce the risk of second-hand smoke in people who do not smoke. smoking Reduce the population, especially children, about the dangers of cigarette smoke.

This problem of second hand smoke is getting worse day by day. To stop this problem and loss It depends on the whole pattern of Singha Smoke. How to deal with your own smoke inhalation How does it affect others less? Or if you could quit smoking completely it would be good, good for others and good for you too. Ejan is happy to help you.