Medical group pushes ban on e-cigarettes

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) urged the government yesterday to strictly implement the ban on the sale and use of e-cigarettes to protect the public from the risks it may bring.

PMA president Leo Olarte said contrary to claims of e-cigarette distributors, the use of e-cigs is not an alternative lifestyle but a new vice, which should not be taught to the public particularly the children.

Olarte said the World Health Organization-Non-Communicable Diseases (WHO-NCD) and Mental Health Cluster assistant director general Ala Alwan have warned against the use of electronic cigarettes as a therapy to stop smoking.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also advised against the use of e-cigarette, but could not fully enforce it due to lack of resources.

“The FDA, in its e-cigs advisory, has clearly stated that it has not registered any electronic cigarette products and will not register them as health products. This strong FDA statement is in effect a ban that was unfortunately not implemented due to lack of enforcement,” the PMA said.

The PMA said the commercial establishments should prohibit people from smoking real and electronic cigarettes as it noted that both are life threatening and can kill.

Health experts said e-cigarettes contain carcinogens, formaldehyde and other chemicals that are toxic when ingested by humans.

Aside from the toxic chemicals, e-cigarette also contains nicotine, which according to experts is addictive.

The PMA urged President Aquino and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to immediately order the removal of e-cigarette advertisements and any suggestion that considers the e-cigarettes to be safe and an effective smoking cessation aid.

Graphic warning on cigarette packs sought anew

Believing pictures can save lives, a group of cancer survivors yesterday renewed its call for Congress to require tobacco manufacturers to place graphic warnings on cigarette packs.

Emer Rojas, New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) president and Global Cancer ambassador, said legislators should file proposals requiring graphic warnings on cigarette products.

“As Congress opens for session in a few days, we call on our leaders to strengthen their commitment to public health. We have shown in the past that despite a strong opposition from big tobacco we were able to push for increases in the sin tax. We can do it again by pressing for graphic health warnings,” Rojas said.

Rojas said poor and illiterate smokers could benefit from the picture-based warnings as a tool for raising awareness.

He said graphic warning on cigarette packs is only possible through legislation as he noted that the NVAP supports Senate Bill 27, which was refiled by Sen. Pia Cayetano in the 16th Congress.

The bill calls for the placement of graphic health warnings on cigarette packs to raise public awareness on the dangers of smoking.

Cayetano, chair of the Senate health committee, blamed the tobacco industry for the failed passage of two other picture-based warning bills that she authored in the past.

The Bangkok-based Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) identified the Philippines as one of four ASEAN countries that have yet to require graphic warnings on cigarette packaging.

The WHO supports higher taxes and picture-based health warnings to reduce the six million smoking-related deaths annually.

“In the Philippines, 10 of our people die every hour because of smoking. It’s not enough that we raise taxes because smokers only turn to cheaper brands. We need to educate them by presenting them pictures that will discourage smoking. Pictures save lives,” Rojas said.

He said countries that imposed higher taxes on tobacco products coupled with graphic health warnings have seen a significant decline in their smoking population.

The latest WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic shows the importance of legislation as it also reveals that more than 2.3 billion people, or a third of the world population living in 92 countries, are now covered by a tobacco-control measure at the highest level.

The figure represents an increase of about 1.3 billion people and 48 countries during the past five years since the release of the first report.