The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) agreed in principle on Friday to raise the legal age for purchasing cigarettes from 18 to 20 under an amended law regulating tobacco. A total of 159 NLA members voted for the measure on Friday, with five abstentions, increasing the minimum legal age to buy cigarettes under the bill to amend the Tobacco Control Act. Dr Piyasakol said the current Tobacco Control Act and the Non-Smoker's Health Protection Act were obsolete and could not keep up with the behaviour of smokers. However, the Non-Smoker's Health Act has not been amended. Under the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, any law associated with tobacco must be amended to protect the health of citizens, particularly youth, he added.

Source: Bangkok Post November 12, 2016 01:50 UTC