In a surprising move, the Philippines House of Representatives is urging that vaping be included in the country’s tobacco control strategy. The legislative body issued a resolution asking the health department to promote tobacco harm reduction.
The resolution, authored by Reps. Anthony Bravo and Jose Tejada, references the experience in the U.K., where public health authorities have promoted vaping as a safer alternative for cigarette smokers. According to the Manila Standard, the lawmakers specifically cite the landmark reports from Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians.
A resolution is not law or even binding on the regulators. It is a recommendation by the legislature that the department of health regulate vapes without banning them.
Earlier this year, government officials attended a Philippine tobacco harm reduction conference, organized by advocacy group The Vapers Philippines. There experts like Greek cardiologist Konstantinos Farsalinos spoke about the benefits of low-risk nicotine products as alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Farsalinos urged the country to adopt regulations that recognize the difference in risk between vaping and smoking.
According to the most recent national tobacco use survey, 23.8 percent of the adult population smokes. That was in 2015. Since then, president Rodrigo Duterte has instituted strong tobacco control measures, including the threat of prison for those selling to minors.
Few expected the legislature in a Duterte-controlled country to advocate for tobacco harm reduction measures. The country’s leader is known for approving brutal treatment for drug users, including murder. During his presidential campaign, he promised to kill 100,000 drug “addicts” and dealers, and said the fish in Manila Bay would grow fat feeding on all the bodies he would dump there.
“We thank our legislators for keeping an open mind to the growing body of scientific evidence supporting e-cigarettes as a significantly less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes,” The Vapers Philippines president Peter Paul Dator told the Standard. “We urge the [Department of Health] to do the same and help save lives.”
Sir, I’m an ex smoker in the States for over 50 years. I’m currently vaping for the past year and a half. The drug Chantix lasted for a while but quickly wore off, and i was back to smoking again. After finding E-Cigarettes and vaping fruit flavors and desserts at a 70% VG and 30% PG, I have never looked back. I was lucky from smoking for over 50 years i have no respiratory issues, Who knows what continued smoking cigarettes would have done to my heaith? I’m 66 going on 67 next year and would love to visit The… Read more »
Vaping is not illegal in the Philippines. It is included in smoking laws, so you can’t vape in all the same places you can’t smoke.
Hello Jim, I am about to fly to Manila, then travel to alaminos, pangasinan, Try to do a google search for where i can and cant use my vape is hard, one news paper says its completely illegal and others are saying its not? will i be fine or should i just leave it at home?
Unfortunately, I don’t really know more than what I’ve seen in newspapers and heard second-hand from commenters. Vaping is not illegal in the Philippines. However, public vaping is restricted just as smoking is. I would use the same cautions you might anywhere: take inexpensive devices, vape higher nicotine (so less vaping), don’t blow huge clouds, and vape where you see others vaping (or smokers smoking).
Maybe some readers have better advice.
Thank you for the advice, I am staying out in the “country side” so i will be careful thanks.
what about vaping aTHC cartridge? Is that illegal in the Philippines?
Possibly if you’re approved for legal medical marijuana. Otherwise, no.