Department of Disease Control is advising the public, especially those with chronic illnesses, to avoid using e-cigarettes, as they may lead to potentially fatal severe pneumonia.
“E-cigarettes are illegal and harmful. The liquids contain toxic substances, including nicotine, heavy metals and chemicals that are addictive and hard to quit,” Dr Chayanan Sittibut, director of National Tobacco Products Control Board (NTPCB), Disease Control Department said at a press conference.
He was responding to a report that a patient with severe pneumonia at Buri Ram Hospital was found to have used e-cigarettes.
There are no specific reports on the number of pneumonia cases caused by e-cigarette use in Thailand for 2024.
Meanwhile, the number of people using e-cigarettes has increased significantly, from around 78,742 in 2021 to about 709,677 in 2022. The largest increase has been among young people aged 15 to 24.
Dr. Chayanan added that the Department of Disease Control has ordered the Epidemiology Bureau to monitor and report cases of pneumonia linked to e-cigarette use.
Hospitals are advised to ask patients about their smoking history, and any suspected cases must be reported right away for investigation.
Dr. Pawinee Wongprasit, a specialist at Buri Ram Hospital, revealed that the patient treated there has contracted pneumonia from e-cigarette use, known as E-cigarette or Vaping product use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). His symptoms are shortness of breath, excessive sweating, and haemoptysis (coughing up blood). Doctors may need to intubate him to save his life.
Nicotine and additives in e-cigarette liquids are key factors in increasing the risk of developing EVALI. Patients with the condition often experience symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing and even severe complications like respiratory failure.
