Respected Filipino doctors refuted leaders of some medical groups who are against the landmark vape bill for turning a blind eye on science while peddling misinformation.
They also disowned statements attributed to medical associations saying they do not represent the unanimous opinion of all doctors. They noted that a growing number of practitioners in the Philippines today support robust scientific findings of public health authorities in the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union that vapes are much less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.
“It is unfortunate that some in the medical profession are making this a political issue. Let’s all be professional and focus on the scientific discourse. The science has become extremely strong in recent years that e-cigarettes are less harmful than conventional cigarettes,” said oral and maxillofacial surgery expert Dr. Fernando Fernandez, who is currently the Secretary General of the Asia Pacific Dental Federation, while noting that he is an anti-smoking advocate for many decades because he has seen what smoking does for his patients who develop oral cancer.
Dr. Fernandez, who is also the Past President of the Philippine Dental Association and the Philippine College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, warned that those who calls for a vape ban may unwittingly be supporting smoking.
“The logical conclusion is that vapor products will save the lives of 16 million Filipino smokers or at the very least reduce their health risks. Therefore, regulation and not prohibition is key. This is what the vape bill seeks to do. The Vape Bill is clearly a big win for public health. Those who would like to ban vaping may indirectly be supporting smoking. We don’t want that,” he said.
Doctors studying tobacco harm are one in saying that global scientific consensus including those from the US Food and Drugs Administration and the UK’s Public Health England backs vapor products to be better alternatives to cigarettes. Dr. Christian Luna, medical director of the Tulay Lingap Ni Padre Pio Surgicenter affirmed that vapor products are less harmful alternatives, and that cigarette is the “real enemy.”
“All of us in the medical community are united in our fight against smoking and seeing the end of the smoking epidemic for good. Thus, the government should regulate, and not ban, alternatives to cigarettes that are proven to be less harmful whether it is a nicotine patch, nicotine gum, vapor products or heated tobacco products. I think this is what the Vape Bill aims to do and hence, I express support to this measure,” he said.
One of the country’s leading eye doctor and President of the San Juan City Medical Center Staff Association, Dr. Romeo Luna Jr. cited the real challenge of smoking cessation. He said, he has lost relatives and friends because he could not make them stop smoking, despite him being a doctor.
“The grim reality today is that there are still 16 million Filipino smokers and many of them will not stop smoking. As a medical practitioner, it is my duty to give them an alternative to make them stop smoking. That’s why I support the passage of the Vape Bill because it is our best hope to stop the smoking epidemic,’’ he said.
Sharing his personal experience, Dr. Telesforo Gana, Past President of the Philippine Urological Association and Past Chairman of the Philippine Board of Urology said vaping helped him quit smoking.
“It took me a very long time to stop smoking. Without vapor products, I would not have been able to fully stop. The reality is many smokers will try to stop smoking but will never be successful. That is what the WHO data says,” Dr. Gana said.
“Smoker’s lives matter too. We should not look at them as statistics. We need to have pragmatic solution to end the smoking epidemic. I hope the Vape Bill can be that solution so we can save the lives of 16 million Filipino smokers,” he said.
For her part, Dra. Arleen Reyes, Past President of the Philippine Dental Association lauded the inclusion of stringent measure to protect minors.
“There is no debate that vapor products should not be sold to minors or non-smokers and that this should be properly regulated. Hence, I fully support the inclusion of all necessary safeguards in the Vape Bill to protect minors and non-smokers,” she said.
SB 2239 and HB 9007 bans the sale of vapor products to minors and imposes fine and imprisonment for violators. It also mandates the printing of health warnings on the packaging of products to ensure that consumers are aware of the accompanying risks on the use of said products. There is also mandatory product registration to ensure that only registered products that are compliant with national standards are sold in the market. Dr. Reyes agrees with Dr. Fernandez on the consequences of banning vapor products.
“I don’t agree that we should ban vapor products. If we do that, we will lose this public health opportunity to end the smoking epidemic. Let’s not forget, smoking kills close to 100,000 Filipino smokers every year. That is around 300 Filipinos per day. A ban on vapor products only perpetuates the use of cigarettes that endangers the lives of 16 million Filipino smokers,” she said.
Dr. Fernandez stressed that, “vapor products have been scientifically proven to be less harmful alternatives to cigarettes. With the passage of the Vape Bill, I am hopeful that it is only a matter of time that we will see a significant reduction on our country’s smoking rates and smoking- related deaths and sickness,” said Dr. Fernandez.
“If we do not pass the Vape Bill, there will be another 100,000 Filipinos who will die of smoking- related diseases for the year 2022. It is for this reason I support the passage of the Vape Bill,” she added.
The Vape Bill is seen as a historic legislation as it will be the first comprehensive law to regulate vape products that will give access to the 16 million Filipino smokers to alternatives to smoking while at the same time providing very strict safeguards to ensure that minors and non-smokers do not have access to these products.
According to latest data from the World Health Organization, the Philippines still has around 16 million Filipino smokers and an annual quit rate of 4%. There are 100,000 Filipinos dying every year from smoking-related diseases.
“I hate cigarettes and smoking period. However, despite all our efforts in the medical community, the cases of oral cancer are still at an alarming rate. Many Filipino smokers will continue to get this disease if we don’t act now,” Dr. Fernandez said.
A recent survey conducted by ACORN Marketing & Research Consultants, the largest independent Asian research network, has shown that 94% of Filipinos agree that the government should enact policies to encourage adult smokers to switch to less harmful tobacco alternatives.