Medical groups urge Duterte to veto vape bill for youth’s protection

Several medical organizations on Wednesday appealed to outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the proposed measure that seeks to lower the age of access to vape and e-cigarette products from 21 to 18.

In observance of the National No-Smoking Month, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS), and Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) underscored that Senate Bill 2239 or the proposed Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act may be detrimental to the Filipinos, particularly the younger age group.

PPS Tobacco Control Advocacy Group chair Dr. Rizalina Gonzalez stressed that “quitting is very hard” if young teens get addicted to nicotine as compared to adults. She added keeping the access to vape and e-cigarette products to those aged 21 and above would be better to keep the youth from the “non-essential hazardous habit.”

“Safer is not equivalent to safe. That carries a lot of risk to this age group. It is not harm reduction but a dangerous nicotine trap. This is a harmful introduction to our teens and young adults. The risk taking behavior in this age group coupled with their mental health problems will put more of our Filipino children at risk,” she said in a virtual press conference.

Meanwhile, PMA president Dr. Minerva Calimag argued that the vape bill contradicts the provisions already set forth in Republic Act 11467, RA 11346, and Executive Order 106 that were signed by Duterte himself.

“Kami na nasa medical field, tingin namin na the vape bill, kontra ito sa polisiya ng ating bansa (we, in the medical field, think that this bill is against the country’s policy to safeguard the well-being of its citizenry, lalo na ‘yung mga kabataan (especially the youth) from the harmful effects of vaping. We oppose the vape bill because we cannot risk endangering the health and safety of the Filipinos,” she said.

The measure provides regulations on the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use, and communication of vape products and novel tobacco products. It will also transfer the regulatory powers over the products from the Food and Drug Administration to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Both the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) have urged Duterte to veto the vape bill, saying it undermines existing national laws, policies, and standards on regulation, distribution, and use of vapor products and heated tobacco products.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III expressed doubt Wednesday that Duterte will sign the bill into law.

“Well, I am concerned with this vape bill because ang end goal namin is that it will not be enacted into law. Ma-veto sana (we hope it will be vetoed),” Duque said at Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

He said Congress has yet to submit the enrolled copy of the bill to the Office of the President.

“So ‘yan ang inaantabayanan natin at (So we are monitoring this and) we would just have to wait what happens next. But I doubt that the President will even sign that bill into law. So we will leave it at that,” he said.

Duque earlier advised the public not to be misled by the bill, saying this was a "Trojan horse" in the policy to protect health. He said there is growing evidence that vapes and e-cigarettes are "harmful and not risk-free” and that they increase the risk of heart and respiratory diseases, and explosion injuries.

In a message to reporters, the DOH expressed support for the call to veto the vape bill.

“The DOH also strongly recommends to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to veto the said bill since it puts our youth at risk to the harmful effects of this product,” it said.

“The Vape Bill contravenes public health goals and the avowed policy of the Duterte administration to protect the Filipinos, especially the youth,” it added.—AOL, GMA News