Manila Bulletin
Philippines
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Thousands of Filipino youth call for immediate vape, e-cigarette ban
Philippines
National
Thousands of Filipino youth call for immediate vape, e-cigarette ban
Thousands of Filipino youth call for immediate vape, e-cigarette ban
By Jel Santos
Published May 31, 2026 01:54 pm
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)
Thousands of Filipino youth advocates are calling on the government to immediately ban vapes and e-cigarettes, citing rising nicotine use among young people and what they described as the tobacco and vape industry’s continued targeting of the youth.
The call was made during the “Pilipinas, TobaccOFF NOW!” campaign, a youth-led anti-nicotine movement that culminated in activities marking World No Tobacco Day.
The campaign, which was held in solidarity with the global F* Nicotine movement in Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States, seeks to raise awareness on the health risks associated with tobacco and nicotine products.
“Through Pilipinas, TobaccOFF NOW! and the broader F*Nicotine campaign, we, the youth, get to express our frustration about tobacco, vape, and other nicotine products taking over our lives and our health,” Vonn Vincent Tanchuan, the campaign lead of the TobaccOFF NOW! Movement, said in a statement.
“We’ve been inspired by the youth sentiments online and in communities, reminding our government that we deserve better protection from the tobacco and vape industry. I know that our movement will just grow bigger and bigger until this is achieved,” he went on.
Organizers said the campaign featured activities from May 20 to 31, including fun runs, boot camps, and theater plays in Quezon City and several areas nationwide, including Baguio City, Itogon, Benguet, Mindoro, Iloilo City, Marawi City, Lucena City, and General Santos City.
The campaign culminated on May 23 with learning sessions, a panel discussion, and an advocacy march in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City, attended by more than 250 young people, as well as representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), Quezon City government, ImagineLaw, and HealthJustice.
The group cited data from the Institute for Global Tobacco Control and the National Library of Medicine showing that around 1.21 million Filipino youth use e-cigarettes.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)
It also noted that vaping prevalence among teenagers aged 13 to 15 reached 14.1 percent, surpassing the 12.5 percent smoking rate for regular cigarettes in the same age group.
“Our youth-led movement is urgently calling for an immediate ban on vapes and e-cigarettes because these harmful products serve as the starting point for our young people, encouraging them to eventually use cigarettes and other nicotine products,” Jeannie Anne Maguad, the executive director of the Positive Youth Development Network, said.
“This immediate action must be taken while simultaneously executing the other crucial demands in our TobaccOFF NOW! manifesto, including: eliminating flavors, terminating packaging designs, and strongly enforcing advertising bans,” she added.
The DOH has previously called for a total ban on vape products, citing their harmful health effects and increasing use among the youth.
The agency has also raised concerns over marketing strategies that use flavors, colors, and cartoon-themed designs to attract younger consumers.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Medical Association has advocated higher taxes on cigarettes and vape products as part of efforts to reduce smoking and vaping and protect public health.