Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 16)— Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Tuesday disclosed that he asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to help the department implement a law that bans minors from buying vape or e-cigarettes as users among the youth have increased.
“Problema, tumataas ang e-cigarette,” Herbosa told a media forum. “Dati wala, ngayon 14% sa youth. Technically, by law, vape law, 18 yrs old and above lang pwede mag vape, legally. Pag punta sa mall, tumingin ka sa labas, naka uniform ng high school at nag i-e-cigarette at binebenta ito openly.”
[Translation: The problem is, there is an increase in e-cigarette users. Before, there were no users who are minors, but now 14% of the youth are users. Technically, by law, vape law, 18 years old and above are legal to use it. When you go to the malls and you look oustide, you’ll see young people in high school uniforms using e-cigarette and stores are selling them openly.]
\”I actually wrote a letter to the PNP asking them to implement the law and make sure none of these minors should have access to vaping,\” he added.
Tobacco usage rate in the country has decreased due to higher taxes and price increases, Herbosa noted.
The Global Adult Tobacco Survey of Filipinos aged 15 and above that was conducted the government found that tobacco use among adults decreased from 29.7% in 2009 to 19.5% in 2021.
Herbosa said tobacco use rate among the youth also decreased from 22% in 2007 to 12% in 2019.
But e-cigarettes and vapes have the same bad health effects as traditional cigarettes, the health chief emphasized amid the increasing use of vapes among young Filipinos.
\”May bad effects ang nicotine pag kinuha as tobacco or as vape,\” he stressed. \”It is the same harm. Whether it is used as cigarette or as e-cigarette, pareho lang yan if it has nicotine…. Hindi talaga sya para sa bata because the damages will be for life. Permanent sya.\”
[Translation: Nicotine from tobacco has bad effects, especially when used as vape. It is the same harm. Whether as cigarette or as e-cigarette, it has the same effects because it has nicotine. This is not for minors because the damages will be for life or permanent.]
Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Enrique Tayag reminded vape users that health studies found that e-cigarette usage increases blood pressure and harms their lungs.
The agency encouraged parents and guardians to remind their children not to use e-cigarette.
