(Pixabay)

House Committee on Human Rights Chairman Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. has called on the government to increase its efforts in discouraging the youth from taking up smoking and vaping. 

"We have seen how difficult it is for smokers to kick this habit; napakahirap mag quit ng smoking (it is very difficult to quit smoking),” Abante said in a statement on Sunday, Oct. 22. 

“That is why it is imperative that the government, through agencies like the National Youth Commission, spearhead an aggressive campaign that will discourage our youth from taking up smoking and vaping," he added. 

Abante prodded fellow legislators to be wary of “the tobacco industry’s attempts to introduce a whole new generation of Filipinos to unhealthy vices like smoking and vaping". 

The tobacco industry’s supposed interference in the country’s policymaking is apparent in the 2023 Tobacco Industry Interference (TII) Index. 

The TII Index is a tool that scores the level of industry interference to monitor the progress, or lack thereof, in addressing the issue. 

Based on the latest index, the Philippines scored 60 in 2023. This is a continued increase for the country, with its score of 58 in 2021 and 59 in 2022. 

A higher score indicates there is a greater industry interference in government policymaking. 

"The country's score in the index is a wake up call for those of us who are committed to protect our youth from the evils of tobacco use," Abante said. --Dexter Barro II