Gatchalian sees need to study raising legal smoking age

INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian brought up on Monday the possibility of raising the legal smoking age in the country.

Gatchalian cited recent news reports about a bill filed in Hawaii, which seeks to ban the sale of cigarettes to people under 100 years old.

READ: Hawaii considers raising legal smoking age — to 100

The proposal, while it may not pass in Hawaii, is a statement against the “vicious cycle” of smoking, the senator said.

“Kaya siguro sa susunod ay mapag-aralan rin natin na itaas yung minimum age ng pagbili ng sigarilyo dito sa ating bansa,” Gatchalian said at a press conference in the Senate.

“At kasama nyo ako dun sa pag-aaral na yun, sa pagtataas ng edad na pwedeng bumili ng sigarilyo dito sa ating bansa…” he said without elaborating.

In a Pulse Asia survey in January, majority of the respondents want to raise the minimum age for buying cigarettes from 18 to 25 years old.

READ: 9 of 10 Filipinos want smoking in public places prohibited — Pulse Asia

Gatchalian is also one of three senators pushing for a higher tax rate on tobacco products. The two others are Senators JV Ejercito and Manny Pacquaio. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)