Independent health reform advocate Anthony Leachon raised concerns about the potential health risks of vaping, especially for young people, citing studies on the harmful effects of nicotine-containing liquids in vape pens.
"Kung hindi naiintindihan ng mga tao, 'yung 2 ml (milliliters) na liquid vape ito ay equivalent to 48 cigarettes or one to two packs of cigarette (If people don't understand, the 2 ml liquid vape is equivalent to 48 cigarettes or one to two packs of cigarettes)," he said on Tuesday, Jan. 23 during an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo.
Leachon also referred to a study from a university in Kentucky indicating that individuals using e-cigarettes or vapes are “more prone” to cardiovascular effects, such as heart attacks.
"Akala mo kasi ay hindi harmful dahil pinosition itong vape na parang set down therapy sa paninigarilyo or harm reduction, ito ang naging marketing ng vape (You thought it wasn't harmful because vape was positioned as a smoking cessation or harm reduction therapy, that became the marketing strategy for vape)," the expert said.
Leachon raised alarms about leading tobacco companies to shift their focus to the vape business.
Despite the perception that vapes are less harmful, he pointed out that they contain harmful ingredients.
"Maliban sa nicotine, may mga ingredients na pangalan ay acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acridine na nakaka-cause din ng lung disease at cardiovascular disease, so ito po 'yung vape (Aside from nicotine, there are ingredients with names such as acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and acridine that can also cause lung disease and cardiovascular disease, so those are the components of the vape),” he said.
The health advocate criticized the 2022 Vape Bill, which lowered age restrictions from 18 to 21, making it more accessible to the youth.
He also said that based on a Department of Health (DOH) report, children as young as seven to nine and 11 to 14, make up 12 percent of vape users in certain age groups.
"The ban on vape and heated products in public places was also lifted because we know that the smell of tobacco is unpleasant, and they thought it would be better without any smell. Then, they added various flavors, and advertising, as well as online use, are still allowed,” he said in Filipino.
Leachon emphasized the accessibility of vapes, with a 32 percent accessibility rate through online platforms and it is no longer regulated by the FDA but by the DTI.
This means that people can see it being sold on the sidewalk and in malls, and when purchasing vapes, age is no longer asked, allowing even children to buy them.
"Ang isang pang delikado ay baka malagyan pa ito ng iba pang addicting product katulad ng liquid shabu or liquid marijuana pwede kasi madaling maglagay nito. Hindi mo naman malalaman kung ano ang nilagay na content sa vape dahil nakatago sa kanilang gadget (Another danger is that it might be filled with other addicting products like liquid shabu or liquid marijuana because it's easy to mix them. You won't know what content was put into the vape because it's hidden in their gadget),” he underscored.
The lack of regulation and transparency regarding the contents of vapes raises significant safety concerns in terms of crime, Leachon added.
He also highlighted the potential risks of vaping while driving, raising the issue of implementing laws that may be challenging due to existing regulations.
"Kaya ang latest PSA, nagulat ako nung tinignan ko na ang number one killer sa atin ay coronary artery disease, number one ang stroke at cancer. Ito ang top three at 70 percent ay related doon sa smoking illnesses (So, in the latest PSA, I was surprised when I saw that the number one killer among us is coronary artery disease, followed by stroke and cancer. These are the top three, and 70 percent are related to smoking illnesses)," he noted.
He added that this is the problem, and nothing can be done now that this law allows the unrestricted sale of vape to the youth.
"Kaya sa tingin ko ay malamya ang batas dito kasi ang DOH nananawagan na sa police e mahirap na 'yan kasi may batas na nag-a-allow sa mga kabataan na pwede silang gumamit ng vape, e libu-libo na ang stores nito, e papaano pa mababantayan ng mga police ito (So, I think the law is weak on this because the Department of Health is calling on the police, but it's difficult now because there's a law allowing the youth to use vapes, and there are thousands of stores selling them. How can the police monitor this?)," Leachon explained.
Furthermore, Leachon disclosed that Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa's call for police intervention in monitoring vape stores faced opposition from a Commission on Appointments member, citing potential consequences for Herbosa's confirmation.
"Dahil batas na nga daw ito [vape bill] at wala raw pakialam ang DOH kasi kanya kanya 'yan e. Ang gusto kasi ng tourism industry at ng executive office na maging regional hub tayo ng vape para sa pagyabong ng ating ekonomiya (Because they say it's already a law [vape bill], and the Department of Health (DOH) supposedly doesn't care because everyone has their own concerns. The tourism industry and the executive office want us to become a regional hub for vaping to boost our economy)," Leachon said.
Leachon criticized the vaping bill as a "business bill" rather than a health bill, citing jurisdiction under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) instead of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"Kasi kung FDA ang may hawak ng batas na 'yan, it is to protect the public pero kung DTI na, nangangahulugan na ito ay business. So problema ito dahil alam naman natin na hirap ang bansa pero kung kukunin naman dun sa produkto na makakasama sa kalusugan ng tao e hindi ito tama (Because if the FDA is the one enforcing that law, it is to protect the public, but if it's under the DTI, it means it's about business. So, this is a problem because we know that the country is facing difficulties, but if they derive revenue from products that may harm people's health, it's not right)," he underscored.
The expert appealed to the President to address the issues surrounding the vaping bill and emphasized the need to prioritize public health over business interests.
Despite claims by Congress that the law aims to replace cigarettes, Leachon and numerous doctors remain against it.