As pro-health groups celebrate the gains of Sin Taxes passed by previous administrations, a health advocacy group urged the Senate to prioritize health bills that protect children and the youth against the harmful effects of vapes and E-cigarettes with the mass proliferation of these products especially in schools and the streets.
HealthJustice Philippines, a non-government organization, also supports Senator Pia Cayetano who is a known supporter and author of previous Sin Tax Laws. The group noted that Cayetano continuously prioritizes the protection of the Filipinos especially the youth against the health risks of vaping and E-cigarettes after she criticized a multinational tobacco company for inviting Filipino doctors to attend a so-called “scientific forum” promoting tobacco.
HealthJustice Philippines appreciated Cayetano for her commitment to win the war against smoking and for reminding doctors of their role, which is to keep people healthy and prevent diseases.
“Across the world, teen vaping is increasing. The US, for example, is experiencing a nicotine epidemic. E-cigarettes have now overtaken by a mile the use of cigarettes among children and the youth. It is now their first option of nicotine product in the US. Children and the young are vulnerable to lifelong nicotine addiction,” Atty. Benedict G. Nisperos, legal consultant of HealthJustice, stressed.
Sin Tax anniversary
Delivering a speech recently at the 2012 Sin Tax 10th Anniversary Forum on January 20, Cayetano, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, said, “I think, what I wanted to remind everyone of, and finally, in New Zealand, parang every kid who was born a certain year, they will never touch a cigarette. What a dream, di ba? So where are we now? Every kid will have a chance to use an e-cigarette in this country because they will be sold in sari-sari stores. What’s our narrative? What do we want?”
It may be noted that in a privilege speech at the Senate last year, Cayetano expressed her alarm as Filipino physicians were invited in a forum where foreign health “experts” discussed vape as a “harm reduction tool” which irked the lady senator despite the known harmful effects of these products.
“Mr. President, every day, there are different articles on the harmful effects of vape products and the danger it poses to users, especially the youth,” Cayetano said.
Vaping is toxic
Health Justice also echoed, saying, “Let us not confuse the people especially the youth that vaping is cool and safe. Vaping is toxic.”
Cayetano also reminded that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Law and a recent Supreme Court decision that defined tobacco as “health products” which should be strictly regulated by FDA.
Health products are “food, drugs, cosmetics, devices, biologicals, vaccines, in-vitro diagnostic reagents and household/urban hazardous substances and/or a combination of and/or a derivative thereof.”
FDA regulated
“So any product that has an effect on health must be regulated by the FDA. And that’s why we have rules and laws that it is prohibited to claim that there are positive effects and that products like vapes and e-cigarettes, they are “harm reduction,” unless registered as a harm reduction product. If you did register [the vape] as a harm reduction product, you have no business promoting anything. You have no business bringing your so-called ‘health experts’ to the Philippines to talk about harm reduction and the benefits of vaping,” Cayetano explained in a mix of English and Filipino during her privilege speech.
She was also dismayed as she read the invitation stating that the event of the tobacco company is an “oncology event.”
“So oncologists pa, cancer specialists were invited to say what? To tell their patients to vape? Is that right? That is not right, your honors,” she then complained.
Image credits: Jcomp/Freepik.com