Let FDA regulate vape access, use in PH – child rights group

Child rights advocates are urging the government to let the Food and Drug Administration take charge of vape regulation to improve the country’s guidelines on e-cigarettes. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Child rights advocates urged the government to let the Food and Drug Administration take charge of vape regulation to improve the country’s guidelines on e-cigarettes.

Child Rights Network (CRN) said the minimum age of individuals allowed access to vapes should be returned to 21 from the current 18, as provided under the Vape Law that was enacted in 2022.

It said regulation should not be given to trade and industry authorities as stricter restrictions on vape flavors, advertising, and packaging must also be imposed.

“We support the government proposal to ban disposable vapes, a step backed by the Department of Health, citing that easy access to these products is worsening underage smoking in the Philippines,” CRN said in a statement.

READ: Tighter regulations on vape sale, restricted access to minors pushed

However, the government must “seriously bring back the child protection safeguards taken away by the pro-tobacco industry Vape Law,” according to CRN, which is an alliance of organizations and agencies pushing for children’s rights legislation in the Philippines.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa earlier called for the enhanced enforcement of regulations preventing minors from accessing tobacco products, particularly vapes or e-cigarettes.

He also wrote a letter to the Philippine National Police, asking for assistance in making sure that minors would not be able to buy or use vapes.

The health chief also emphasized that, despite their differing forms, cigarettes and vapes share the same adverse health effects associated with nicotine.

READ: Vaping not a safer alternative to cigarette smoking, says health advocate

The Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines also pointed out that vaping is not less harmful than cigarettes.

“The chemicals inhaled in vaping is the same [as in smoking cigarettes], therefore it is not harmless,” ASH Philippines executive director Dr. Maricar Limpin said in a press conference on February 6.

“It’s not really safer. It’s almost the same, if not even deadlier than tobacco,” she added.

Based on the 2021 Global Adult Tobacco Survey, one in every five Filipinos aged 15 and above are tobacco users.

Tobacco use includes “smoking, smokeless, and heated tobacco products.”

The same report also showed that tobacco use in the country decreased from 29.7 percent in 2009 to 19.5 percent in 2021.

However, the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction reported in 2021 that there are around 82 million vape users worldwide.