The country’s top medical experts expressed support on the final version of the Vape Bill and lauded legislators for passing a comprehensive bill which is meant to strictly regulate vapor and heated tobacco products while at the same time protect the youth.

“The scientific consensus from medical experts and public health regulators around the world is that vapor and heated tobacco products are less harmful than cigarettes. There is still a risk on using it but it is significantly less compared to cigarettes. This simply means that for the 16 Million Filipino smokers who cannot stop smoking, there is now a better and less harmful alternative for them”, said Dr. Romeo Luna Jr, President of the San Juan Medical Center Staff Association and a practicing surgeon at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, a known ally of the administration, revealed last February that the World Health Organization participated in the deliberations of the Vape Bill were its scientist-representative admitted that vape products are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.

Last week, the details of the final version of the Vape Bill was publicly disclosed in an newspaper article detailing the key provisions of the said bill particularly those meant to protect the minors and regulate the sale, advertising and public use of said products.

“Without the Vape Bill, our worst fears that minors will use vape products will become a reality. There simply isn’t enough law to strictly regulate these products. I strongly support the Vape Bill because it has many provisions that are dedicated in protecting the youth and making sure this age group don’t use vape products. Equally important and unknown to many, there is even a total ban on selling high nicotine vapor products, which the current law, RA 11467, does not have. This is as restrictive as it can get. It’s a no brainer that this bill should pass into law”, said Dr. Dante Dator, former executive director of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute and one of the country’s top Urologist.

The final version of the Vape Bill, as approved by the bicameral conference committee of the Senate and House of Representatives, bans the selling of the vapor products with nicotine content above 65 mg/ml. It also bans the use of flavor descriptors that appeal to minors in addition to the ban on using flavors that appeal to minors under RA 11467. The bill also bans the display of vape products beside other products that appeal to minors in stores as well as the use of celebrities and social media influencers in advertising materials.

“As a medical practitioner and someone who has been treating patients with dental diseases due to smoking for many decades now, I support the Vape Bill because it provides strong protection for our youth from ever using these products while at the same time providing an opportunity for our 16 Million Filipino smokers to stop smoking and shift to a less harmful alternative.”, said Dra. Arleen Reyes, Past President of the Philippine Dental Association and the current Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Asia Pacific Dental Federation.

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.

“Passing the Vape Bill into law guarantees the protection of our youth so they will not use these products. The Vape Bill provides for very high penalties for violators thereof and this is important to ensure there is very high compliance among the manufacturers and sellers of this product. Without the Vape Bill, flavored and substandard e-cigarettes as well those high nicotine vape products will continue to flourish because there is no law penalizing violators thereof”, added Dr. Dante Dator.

Deputy Speaker Marcoleta urged the President to sign the Vape Bill into law noting the urgent need to regulate vapor products in order to protect public health and stop the entry of illegal products.

“Contrary to the fake news being spread by some doctors, we do not have a comprehensive law that regulates vapor products on matters pertaining to manufacture, sale, advertising, packaging, use, product standards and product registration unlike that of cigarettes. Why would you oppose a bill that seeks to regulate a vice or so-called Sin Products? It’s about time the President enacts this bill into law so we can make Filipinos stop smoking for good ”, Deputy Speaker Marcoleta noted.