Doctors welcome vape bill’s final version, say it will save smokers’ lives

Dr. Romeo Luna Jr., president of San Juan Medical Center Staff Association

MANILA, Philippines — Medical experts welcomed the final version of the vape bill, saying this will strictly regulate e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, protect the youth and save smokers’ lives.

This followed the publication last week of the details of the final version of the vape bill and its key provisions particularly those meant to protect the minors and regulate the sale, advertising and public use of vapor products and HTPs which are considered less harmful alternatives to combustible cigarettes.

Dr. Romeo Luna Jr., president of the San Juan Medical Center Staff Association, said while there is still risks in using these products, these are significantly less compared to cigarettes.

“The scientific consensus from medical experts and public health regulators around the world is that vapor and heated tobacco products are less harmful than cigarettes,” said Dr. Luna who is also a practicing surgeon at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

“This simply means that for the 16 million Filipino smokers who cannot stop smoking, there is now a better and less harmful alternative for them,” said Dr. Luna.

House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, a known ally of the administration, revealed in a radio interview that the World Health Organization’s scientist-representative confirmed that vape products are less harmful than cigarettes during the deliberations of the vape bill in Congress.

Dr. Dante Dator, one of the country’s top urologists, said the vape bill aims to prevent the youth from using vape devices.

“Without the vape bill, our worst fears that minors will use vape products will become a reality. There simply isn’t enough law to strictly regulate these products,” said Dr. Dator, who is also the former executive director of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.

“I strongly support the vape bill because it has many provisions that are dedicated in protecting the youth and making sure this age group doesn’t use vape products,” he said.

Dr. Dator said the vape bill has a provision that imposes a total ban on selling high-nicotine vapor products, which the current law, Republic Act No. 11467, does not have.

“This is as restrictive as it can get. It’s a no brainer that this bill should pass into law,” he said.

The final version of the vape bill, as approved by the bicameral conference committee of the Senate and House of Representatives, bans the selling of the vapor products with nicotine content above 65 mg/ml.

It also bans the use of flavor descriptors that appeal to minors in addition to the ban on using flavors that appeal to minors under RA 11467.

The bill also prohibits the display of vape products beside other products that appeal to minors in stores as well as the use of celebrities and social media influencers in advertising materials.

Dr. Arleen Reyes, chair of the scientific committee of the Asia Pacific Dental Federation, agreed that the Vape Bill will provide strong protection for the Filipino youth.

“As a medical practitioner and someone who has been treating patients with dental diseases due to smoking for many decades now, I support the vape bill because it provides strong protection for our youth from ever using these products while at the same time providing an opportunity for our 16 million Filipino smokers to stop smoking and shift to a less harmful alternative,” said Dr. Reyes, who is also a past president of the Philippine Dental Association.

Dr. Dator said the enactment of the Vape Bill into law will guarantee the protection of the youth, so they will not use these products.

He said the bill provides for very high penalties for violators which is important to ensure that the manufacturers and sellers of the product comply with the law.

“Without the vape bill, flavored and substandard e-cigarettes as well those high-nicotine vape products will continue to flourish because there is no law penalizing violators thereof,” he said.

Marcoleta said: “Contrary to the fake news being spread by some doctors,” the Philippines does not have a comprehensive law regulating vapor products on matters pertaining to manufacture, sale, advertising, packaging, use, product standards and product registration unlike that of cigarettes.

“Why would you oppose a bill that seeks to regulate a vice or so-called Sin Products? It’s about time the President enacts this bill into law so we can make Filipinos stop smoking for good,” he noted.

Marcoleta appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the Vape Bill into law to regulate vapor products to protect public health and stop the entry of illegal products.

Most Filipinos expressed support for policies regulating less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.

A recent survey conducted by ACORN Marketing & Research Consultants, the largest independent Asian research network, has shown that 94 percent of Filipinos agree that the government should enact policies to encourage adult smokers to switch to these products.

/MUF