A Thai Implementation Activist shows Practice for Smoke-Free Laws
Charoenca N, Kungskulniti N, Pipattanachat V. The Implementation Activist: How One Determined Person with a Camera Has Achieved Enforcement of Smoke-Free Laws throughout Thailand. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention. DOI:10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.S2.19; 22, Progress of Tobacco Control in the South-East Asia Region Suppl, 19-34.
http://journal.waocp.org/article_89826_7653bf7e71fbdf939e4e31ca3a0e7ead.pdf
“In the implementation activist’s assessment, administrators and officials were not being held accountable for their responsibilities to enforce laws, resulting in low public compliance. The activist developed his strategy to first identify public places where no-smoking signs were not posted and/or where people were smoking; take photographs of violations and make notes; and file citizen’s complaints at police stations, submitting his photographs as evidence. The implementation activist documented over 5,100 violations of smoke-free laws throughout Thailand and reported violations to police.”
“This implementation activist’s approach can be a model for preventing youth from using tobacco/nicotine and preventing exposures to secondhand smoke and e-cigarette emissions. Based on his successes, we provide a list of elements that implementation activists can use to be effective, along with recommendations for policy and practice.”
Comment: Laws on public smoking are only effective if they are taken seriously. One Thai implementation activist brought recognition and compliance to smoke-free law through existing legal means and provided a healthier environment for future generations.
Stephen Hamann
