Gov’t urged to value Filipinos’ health over trade of tobacco products

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The anti-smoking advocacy group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines asked the national government on Tuesday to prioritize the health of Filipinos over the trade of tobacco products, including electronic alternatives.

According to the group’s executive director Maricar Limpin, as a signatory of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of the World Health Organization (WHO), the country should fulfill its commitments to the treaty.

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“As a signatory to the FCTC, we need to fulfill our obligations under it by staying true to the spirit of the treaty. We have to protect the health of the Filipinos and put a premium on it over trade. The reduced harm claim peddled by the industry is not backed up by scientific evidence and is a mere marketing ploy of the industry to entice people including the young. Human lives are at stake here,” Maricar Limpin said.

The group made the statement on the first day of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) of the FCTC in Panama, which will be from February 5 to 10.

The FCTC, which entreats its parties to protect people from the harmful effects of tobacco, as well as education and trade regulation, was signed by the Philippines in 2003 and ratified in 2005.

Limpin added that alternatives to tobacco products such as e-cigarettes or vapes are not safe options.

“We are scared of the other effects that we might see like cancer, heart and brain attacks from long-term use. The tobacco industry’s narrative that these products promote quitting or reduce harm is false. Let’s be clear: e-cigarettes are not harmless nor are they safer,” she added.