Solon eyes higher age limit for vaping

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Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray Reyes wants to raise the age limit for vaping, which according to him has addictive properties. "Kailangang protektahan natin ang ating mga kabataan mula sa mga masamang bagay na maaaring idulot ng mga produktong ito (We need to protect the youth from the possible harmful effects of these products)," he said in a recent statement. "All of these are addictive and pose various health risks. Maybe it is wise to raise the minimum age of purchase for these products," reckoned the neophyte congressman, adding that they are now studying such proposal. Republic Act (RA) No.11900 or the Vape Law passed in July 2022 lowered the age limit for vaping from 21 to 18 years old. It also removed the two-flavor limit and transferred jurisdiction from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Reyes expressed alarm over the increasing popularity of vape and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among Filipino youth. He cited the results of the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), which were released in 2021. The results showed that 14.1 percent of school-aged children are now smoking e-cigarettes or vapes. "It is very alarming because the GYTS study also showed the Philippines topping the list of countries in Southeast Asia where teen vaping is on the rise," he said. Reyes added that while vape products are usually branded as a "safer" alternative to cigarettes, they still pose many health risks.