Bangkok: Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHPF) has joined forces with seven local administrative organizations (LAOs) to tackle smoking and e-cigarette use in communities, aiming to reduce and eventually eliminate tobacco consumption.
According to Thai News Agency, the initiative involves a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the Community Health Promotion Division of ThaiHPF, the Academic Support Center for Network Management (ASCNM), and 26 network LAOs. The collaboration targets three primary goals: enhancing community capacity to manage tobacco and e-cigarette issues, fostering behavioral changes, and developing innovative public policies for comprehensive tobacco control.
The MOU outlines specific roles for each participating entity, with ThaiHPF acting as a catalyst and provider of policy innovations and funding. Model LAOs will focus on developing systems for area management and supporting community leaders, while network LAOs will create data systems and public policy initiatives. The Academic Support Center will offer academic support and capacity-building for health promotion networks. This agreement, lasting 1.5 years, aims to strengthen community self-management, promote environmental changes, and develop evidence-based innovations for public policy.
Dr. Nisa Rattadilok Na Phuket, Director of the Community Health Promotion Division of ThaiHPF, emphasized the pressing need to address e-cigarette proliferation, leveraging existing community resources rather than starting anew. ThaiHPF is promoting pilot areas as centers of expertise for tobacco management, integrating local authorities, community organizations, and government agencies to build a sustainable health system.
Dr. Pisit Sriprasert, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Plan 3 at ThaiHPF, highlighted the adaptation of strategies to combat the spread of e-cigarettes, particularly among youth. He noted the challenges posed by e-cigarettes' high nicotine content and online accessibility, emphasizing the need for community cooperation to protect children and improve public health.
The MOU signifies a concerted effort by all parties to enhance the capacity of local administrative organizations and communities in managing tobacco and e-cigarette issues systematically. This initiative aims to build robust, sustainable communities with improved quality of life.
The seven model LAOs, including Wang Thong Subdistrict Municipality and others across various provinces, along with a network of 26 model areas, have committed to a nine-point agreement focusing on participatory management, leadership development, social measures, and health literacy. These measures aim to reduce expenses and enhance health promotion through community-based management of tobacco and e-cigarette use.