Lapse of Vape Bill: Politics and Health Collide

The highly contested Vape Bill passed into law last July of this year.

One of the most controversial points raised was the lowering of access from 21 to 18 years old.

Both the Department of Education (DepEd),  the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health (DOH), and several other medical groups have previously publicly expressed their disapproval and urged then-President Duterte to veto the bill.

To put it in perspective, DepEd has mentioned that 1.1 million students are in senior high at the current ages of 18-21 years old while around 870,000 students aged 18 years old are in basic education.

“We teach in schools how the part of the brain that is responsible for rational decisions does not fully develop until one is in their mid-20s. Before that age, young people are very vulnerable to engaging in risky behaviors such as substance use and abuse,” mentioned DepEd.

DOH had earlier said that the bill was “retrogressive and contains several provisions that contradict public health goals and international standards.”

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire had even mentioned that “Nakakalungkot na nag-lapse into law, pero kami ay tuloy-tuloy sa Kagawaran ng Kalusugan para iparating sa kababayan ang masamang dulot ng ating vape at mga tobacco product natin,”

With the law having other questionable areas such as the responsibility of the FDA and the DTI and even the timing of this passing, this will surely affect the younger generation more.

On a personal note, more and more of my friends are starting to pick up vapes and argue that it’s a better alternative to smoking but better, in this case, can be subjective.

Both e-cigarettes and cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Aside from this, using e-cigarettes will not remove the risk of developing any lung disease or cancer, the same goes for the second-hand smoke that they give off.  It’s misleading to say that it vaping is a better alternative to smoking when it poses the same risks as a tobacco cigarette.

The Philippine government should do its part and keep its promise of putting Filipino needs first. Allowing this bill to lapse into law shows that the current administration (including legislators) does not prioritize public health.

Sources: Rappler, Philippine News Agency, Harvard Medical School, CNN Philippines