Electronic cigarettes and vapes were never approved as effective measure to make smokers quit and reduce tobacco harm, the Department of Health affirmed yesterday, after President Duterte ordered the ban on vaping in public places.
Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo refuted claims that electronic cigarettes and vapes can be a smoking cessation aid by stressing that there have been no sufficient evidence from a country or a regulatory agency that these could make people quit smoking.
“First of all, it has never been approved as a smoking cessation aid,” Domingo said. “At siyempre, kung gusto talaga natin tumigil ng paninigarilyo, hindi naman ang solusyon doon, e, maghahanap ka ng ibang produkto na ibang set naman ng sakit ang kasama niyan.”
“There are other ways for us to cease smoking. If we want smoking cessation, we have our quitlines. We have our smoking cessation programs. Merong paggamit ng mga patch – for example, nicotine patch or nicotine gum – na walang ipapasok sa katawan mo na ibang mga chemicals,” Domingo added.
“So, as a smoking cessation aid, it’s really not recognized as that; and it is really not registered or regulated as that.”
Reports have stated that findings were presented by scientists and academicians at the 7th annual E-Cigarette Summit in London that e-cigarettes and vapes are an effective tool to reduce harm caused by tobacco and make smokers quit.
President Duterte has branded the creators of vaping products as the “devil” and threatened to order their “extrajudicial killing” as the government moves to arrest people vaping in public.
In his visit to Taguig City Thursday, the President said he would ask the police to kill the inventor if ever the person visits the country.
Duterte made the statement after reaffirming his prohibition on the use and importation of vaping or electronic cigarettes due to the dangers posed to public health.
“Ewan ko kung sinong demonyong nag-imbento niyan. Pinapahanap ko nga ngayon, ipa-extrajudicial killing ko ‘yung gagong ‘yan. Totoo,” the President said in his remarks at the Taguig Center for the Elderly. (Betheena Unite and Genalyn Kabiling)
