Garin reacts to first vape-related death: 'It is alarming'
At A Glance
- House Deputy Majority Leader and former Department of Health (DOH) secretary Janette Garin has warned the public against use of vape, which she said could "lead to death" with long-term.
Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
House Deputy Majority Leader and former Department of Health (DOH) secretary Janette Garin has warned the public against use of vape, which she said could "lead to death" with long-term.
Garin had this to say following the DOH's report about the first vape-related death of the 22-year old male.
According to health department, the individual died from a heart attack following a severe lung injury. He has been using vape daily for two years.
"This should serve as an eye opener to the public, especially to the youth. Using of vape have its harmful effects and can be deadly," Garin, Iloilo's 1st district representative, said.
"It is alarming. We have seen reports that children ages 13 years old are already using e-cigarette and vapes," the doctor-lawmaker added.
She says vaping is not an alternative to smoking cigarettes and such is not safer to use. She added that vape users may have a medical condition called e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury or EVALI.
EVALI is a serious medical condition in which a person's lungs become damaged from substances contained in e-cigarettes and vaping products, according to Yale Medicine.
Meanwhile, Global Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that approximately one out seven youngsters aged 13 to 15 are vape users.
"Our youth is being lured to nicotine addiction, especially with the different flavors of the said electronic device and some of them are unaware of its contents," Garin stressed.