Thailand Bans Smoking at Home if it’s Deemed Harmful to Other Family Members

The Thai government has instituted a new law making smoking at home a punishable offense if it harms children or other family member’s health.

The new law, part of a larger bill aimed at quelling domestic abuse called the Act on Promotion of the Family Institute Development and Protection, will come into effect on August 20.

Detractors of the change say the new law unfairly equates second-hand smoke with domestic violence and is an attack on their civil liberties.

Others argue that the new law will be impossible to enforce.

According to the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, if it can be proven that second-hand smoke was responsible for health problems of another family member, then the smoker in the house could be tried in both a criminal and family court.

If found guilty, the smoker could then be sent to a rehabilitation center to kick their habit.

In Thailand, nearly five million households have at least one smoker present, putting more than 10 million Thais at risk of the negative health effects caused by second-hand smoke.

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