Doctor calls for ban on vaping products

MANILA, Philippines — An officer of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) has called for the prohibition of vaping products, citing health risks of using electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and other heated tobacco products.

“I think it is now time for us not just to think about regulation, it is probably time for us to think about prohibiting such deadly products,” PCP secretary Dr. Maria Encarnita Limpin said in a press conference on e-cigarettes on Thursday.

“It will probably be irresponsible for medical practitioners not to think of prohibition knowing that it can cause death. What we are pushing is prohibition,” Limpin added.

Asked about the toxic contents inside the e-cigarettes, Limpin said chemicals found in a regular cigarette is similar to toxic substance in vaping products.

Limpin said level of toxic contents may be different from vaping but it could still kill a person “in a matter of time.”

“Yung level ng lason ng e-cigarette may be less kaysa dun sa lason ng sigarilyo pero lason ay nakakamatay (The level of toxic substance may be less than those inside a cigarette but toxic chemicals can kill), it is just a matter of time,” she said.

E-cigarettes may cause cancer, acute lung injury, popcorn lung disease, and overdose on nicotine, Limpin said.

Limpin also cited figures from Centers for Disease and Control Prevention which recorded 1,299 cases of illnesses and 26 deaths related to vaping in the United States.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the Department of Health will need to study the prohibition on e-cigarettes, noting that they are still open for banning the said product.

“We need to sit down with the proponents on prohibition to talk about basis why the prohibition position is adopted. We are open so we are not turning it down. We are willing to listen,” he said during the press conference.

Vaping may cause cancer

Limpin also denounced claims that e-cigarettes cannot cause cancer, noting that vape products contain carcinogens that can develop the disease.

“They are saying na that it does not cause cancer because it does not contain tar? It might be true that it does not contain tar but it contains many carcinogens. It is not true that people will not develop cancer,” Limpin said.

Limpin said e-cigarettes may cause cancer after many years of usage.

“But as like with the tobacco use we have actually noted the development of cancer comes in after many years of usage. So for them to say immediately that it does not cause cancer is too premature,” she said. /je