200 vape users nabbed, taken to police stations for documentation

Two hundred individuals were apprehended in Cebu City for vape smoking in public in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte's order.

According to Tina-Panganiban Perez's report on "24 Oras", the vape users were brought to police stations for documentation.

Vape products were also confiscated in Tondo, Manila from two users.

According to the National Capital Region Police Office, foreigners are also not allowed to use vape in public.

"May mga illegal na bagay, kagaya nung vape, na hindi na papasukin," NCRPO chief Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas said.

The Department of Health (DOH) has expressed support for the ban.

"Well, we are ano very, very happy with the very strong position of the president against vapes. Kasi talagang naniniwala tayo na hindi safe ang mga produktong ito," DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo said.

According to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control In America, evali or e-cigarette and vape-associated lung injury is the name for the sickness caused by vaping.

In the Philippines, there was a recorded possible case of vaping-related illness in Visayas.

"Pareho kasi silang delikado tapos magkaiba. 'Yung smoking kasi, the effect is longer ano, parang mas chronic. Kaya yung kinakatakot natin sa smoking would be patients na nagkakaroon later ng COPD, cancer, heart disease, tsaka iba pang lung diseases," Domingo said.

"Yung evali is an acute illness. It’s something that happens very quickly," he added.

According to the DOH, smokers make up 24% of the FIlipino adult population in the country, or 15 to 16 million individuals. Meanwhile, vape-users make up less than 1 million or 1% of the population.

Vape users, meanwhile, agreed with the regulation of the product but not its  complete ban.

"Don't vape where you can’t smoke, reasonable yon e. Katanggap-tanggap naman. Pero yung to ban it completely in public, that’s not reasonable anymore. Because for us, although it’s not 100% safe, still it’s a safer alternative," a user said.

However, DOH argued that there was no proof vape can help an individual stop smoking. It is also not approved as a therapeutic aid, which is why they cannot endorse it.

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Pia Cayetano will also propose a measure which aims to regulate the selling of e-cigarettes. Senator Francis Toletino has already proposed a measure which aims to prohibit the selling, use, and importation of e-cigarettes. —Joahna Lei Casilao/NB, GMA News