The Senate Ways and Means Committee, after a public hearing on Thursday, is inclined to conduct further review, even as it is poised to endorse imposition of excise taxes on electronic cigarettes.
Asked in an ambush interview how the panel weighed conflicting claims on health effects of so-called e-cigarettes, Sen. Pia Cayetano, who chairs the panel, conceded that “it is very technical and it takes time. And that is something that I commit to the Filipino people that I will really dedicate time to scrutinize these claims.”
Cayetano added: “But one thing that I am prepared to say now, kasi lumabas naman talaga sa [what emerged after the] hearing, kahit ano pang claim ang sabihin nila [whatever they claim they say], and one of the claims being mentioned [by the resource persons of Philip Morris] is ’yung pinayagan na ibenta ang e-cigs sa US [US allowed the sale of the smoking gadget in the US], is ’yung pinayagan daw ng [and was also allowed by the] FDA—the Food and Drug Administration in the US.”
But the senator made it clear this only means that they are allowed to sell e-cigarettes “but there is no statement from the FDA that it is safe.”
“So let’s be clear about that. So, every time may nagpapadala sa amin ng [we were sent a] position paper, may lumalabas na mga [there are] news articles, wina-warning-an ko sila na mag-ingat sila sa pagsasabing ‘safe’ kasi nililinlang naman natin ang mga tao kapag sinasabi nating safe kasi kahit naman ang US-FDA walang sinabi na safe ’yan. [The US-FDA may have never stated that e-cigarettes are safe] Pati WHO, walang sinabi na safe ’yan [Even the WHO may have never stated that],” Cayetano clarified.
She reported there were different assertions from so-called experts claiming e-cigarettes are “less harmful,” Cayetano said, “but to say it is less harmful, well, what is the degree of harm that is acceptable?”
Cayetano recalled the analogy given by WHO Officer in Charge Country Representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe was that “if you jump from 10 floors, para mong sinabing [it’s like saying], “Oh ’di safer, dun ka tumalon sa sixth floor. Safer ka dun. [is it safer to jump on from the sixth floor] Siguro nga, safer kasi pang-sixth floor, diba? [Perhaps it could be safer from the sixth floor]. But that is what it is. Just saying that this is now a new product, and it’s not identical to cigarettes, but wala pang makakapagsabi talaga na safer siya. [Nobody could still attest and prove it is safer].”
The senator acknowledged that lawmakers are doing a “tough balancing act” between the health issues and the tax issue, referring to the revenue component. “My job as the chairman of the committee on ways and means is to look at our ultimate objective. We want to raise funds, that’s why nagta-tax po tayo ng mga activities and products, but in this case, these are sin products. Last week, alcohol, this week ’yung tinatawag natin na e-cigs. Kasama po dyan ’yung mga heated tobacco, ’yung mga vape, ’yung with nicotine and without nicotine.”
Cayetano added: “Let me clarify. There are many things that need to be done to have an effective reduction in the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes, and one of those is taxation. But there are many other ways. So ’yun ang ine-explore natin, saan makakatulong ang taxation to limit the access of the youth to these products, a lot of which still need further studies to find out how harmful they are? Kasi may harm naman talaga.”
Asked about the likely tax range that would come out of the committee, the senator said: “the proposal of DOF is similar, identical to cigarettes, which is P45, kasi nga, ang position ng DOF at DOH, harmful pa rin ’yan. So kung you want to veer on the side of safety, then hindi mo gagawing mas mura ang tax niyan. Kasi sasabihin mo, harmful din ’yan.”
“As a health advocate, I am for banning a lot of things. But I am also a practical person, and I do understand that there is smuggling, there is parallel importation. So I would have to consult the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Finance, on the effects of this,” the senator said.
“A dedicated health advocate that I am, I am also a public servant and I also have the obligation to listen to the experts on the other… how else will the product come in, di ba? Baka pumasok pa rin yan in some other means.”
Image credits: Ilkin Guliyev | Dreamstime.com