E-cigarettes have become a critical health threat to Thai sports, particularly among youth and athletes. The toxic substances in e-cigarettes directly damage the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, affecting physical performance and undermining opportunities for high-level competition success. Sports personnel, who directly oversee athlete wellbeing, require enhanced knowledge and effective communication skills to protect athletes from all tobacco products. This program strategically aligns with Thailand hosting the SEA Games and Asian Para Games, and the Bangsaen 21 Marathon in Chonburi Province. As a major and continuous sports center, Chonburi plays a proactive role in preparing facilities and personnel. The program integrates health knowledge with safety preparedness, creating a strong foundation for hosting quality events while building a sustainable sports community network against tobacco use. Additionally, medical emergencies, especially Sudden Cardiac Arrest, represent unavoidable risks in competitions, making CPR and AED skills essential competencies for all sports personnel.
This program aims to develop sports personnel into “Healthy Heroes” capable of protecting students, athletes, and communities from cigarette and e-cigarette hazards while possessing emergency life-saving skills. The main objectives are: (1) To enhance knowledge and understanding of cigarette and e-cigarette impacts on athlete health, including physical effects such as reduced lung and heart capacity affecting competition performance, and psychological and social impacts like nicotine addiction leading to mental health issues in adolescent athletes; (2) To develop prevention and communication skills against tobacco use in sports communities through effective techniques including social media and sports activities to promote healthy behaviors and build sustainable anti-tobacco networks; (3) To train effective CPR skills for emergency life-saving in sports venues, focusing on real scenarios such as assisting injury victims or cardiac arrest cases, enabling participants to respond immediately with confidence .
The program was conducted as a one-day comprehensive training session combining lectures, hands-on practice, and discussions. The training included multiple components: morning sessions covered e-cigarette health impacts presented by senior nursing professionals from Laem Chabang Municipality and legal measures for tobacco control by the Disease Control Office. Interactive workshops divided 50 participants into small groups (12-14 people) for in-depth learning exchanges about recognizing marketing tactics and prevention strategies. Afternoon sessions focused on intensive CPR training with role-play activities for practical skill development. The program concluded with CPR knowledge testing, evaluation, and certificate distribution. Participants included students, personnel, and volunteers from the Faculty of Sports Science at Burapha University, faculty members, sports facility staff, sports scientists, physiotherapists, and medical volunteers involved in sports activities.
The program achieved multiple significant outcomes: (1) Sports personnel gained comprehensive knowledge about cigarettes and e-cigarettes, demonstrating ability to explain impacts and prevention methods correctly through pre-post training assessments, leading toward reduced smoking rates in sports communities; (2) Development of sustainable anti-tobacco campaign capabilities in sports communities through the “Healthy Hero” network, resulting in initial campaign plans from workshop activities and multi-media information dissemination causing behavioral changes among athletes and youth; (3) Participants successfully passed CPR skill tests, gaining confidence to provide real emergency life-saving assistance, thereby increasing safety in sports activities; (4) Enhanced image of Chonburi Province as a pioneering sports province prioritizing athlete health and safety in concrete ways, strengthening Thailand’s sports sector reputation.
Event Date: December 19, 2025
Project Leaders: Ms. Sasiprapa Limpakdee and Assistant Professor Dr. Nakin Khumsri, Associate Dean for Academic Services and Alumni Relations
