Smoking in Philippines
In the Philippines, tobacco smoking remains a significant public health concern. As of 2024, the current prevalence of smoking among adults aged 15 years and older was estimated to be 19.7%, with a notable gender disparity. The current prevalence of smoking was 35.6% among males and 4.2% among females. The total number of smokers was reported to be approximately 16.3 million individuals in 2024. Comparing these figures to earlier data from 2021, the smoking prevalence among males was 33.3%, while among females it was 3.7%. The adult daily smoking prevalence in 2021 was 14.5%, with a prevalence of 26.3% among males and 2.6% among females. Furthermore, smoking-related mortalities remain a critical public health issue. In 2021, 88,169 deaths were attributed to smoking, accounting for 10% of all deaths in the country in that year. The gender-specific data indicate that smoking-related deaths comprised 13.34% of all male deaths and 5.26% of all female deaths in 2021. These statistics underscore the urgent need for effective public health interventions to address the high smoking rates and associated health consequences in the Philippines.
Read articles from Philippines
January 15, 2020 by vapingpost.com
Philippine Vape Group Says E-Cigs Should be Viewed as Safer Alternatives
“PECIA and our 250 members do not claim e-cigarettes are smoking-cessation devices. We mandate our members to be responsible entrepreneurs by observing ethical business practices and ensuring the proper use of e-cigarettes as a lifestyle choice among adults looking for a less-harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes,” said the association’s president Joey Dulay in a letter. Last month, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, announced a ban on the use and import of e-cigarettes, saying that anyone caught using the products will be arrested.
December 13, 2019 by philstar.com
FDA to doctors: Don’t interact with tobacco, e cig firms
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a “gentle reminder” to all physicians connected with public hospitals not to have any form of interaction with the tobacco and electronic cigarette industries.
The FDA issued an advisory under acting director general Eric Domingo that said doctors of state hospitals should avoid all interaction with the industry in compliance with Joint Memorandum Circular 2910-01 issued by the Department of Health and Civil Service Commission.
October 10, 2019 by philstar.com
WHO proposes action plan on e-cigarettes
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an action plan as the agency has expressed concern over the emerging problem of e-cigarettes, especially among young people in the Philippines and other countries in the Western Pacific Region. WHO Western Pacific regional director Takeshi Kasai said an action plan is needed to reinforce tobacco control in the region.
“Obviously, our region takes this very seriously. This is the only region where all the member-states have ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) but still we can fall short,” Kasai noted.
December 17, 2018 by philstar.com
‘Higher sin taxes not enough to fund health program’
The additional revenue to be generated by two House-approved bills that seek to increase tobacco and alcohol excise taxes may not be enough to bridge the P40-billion funding gap for the government’s universal health care (UHC) program, the Department of Finance (DOF) said.
In an interview, Finance assistant secretary Antonio Lambino said House Bill (HB) 8677 on tobacco excise taxes is estimated to generate P1.8 billion in additional revenue next year, [...]
August 17, 2018 by vaping360.com
Philippines Legislature Backs Vaping
In a surprising move, the Philippines House of Representatives is urging that vaping be included in the country’s tobacco control strategy. The legislative body issued a resolution asking the health department to promote tobacco harm reduction. The resolution, authored by Reps. Anthony Bravo and Jose Tejada, references the experience in the U.K., where public health authorities have promoted vaping as a safer alternative for cigarette smokers. According to the Manila Standard, the lawmakers specifically cite the landmark reports from Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians. A resolution is not law or even binding on the regulators. It is a recommendation by the legislature that the department of health regulate vapes without banning them.
July 13, 2018 by philstar.com
Nicotine may be part of solution to smoking — GFN
With the technology disruption brought by the development of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or e-cigarettes, nicotine has ceased to be the problem but has become part of the solution to the persistent global smoking scourge, a vaping advocate claims.
“Nicotine is not the problem. It is a very big part of the solution,” said Andy Morrison, a former smoker and trustee for the New Nicotine Alliance (NNA), during the 5th Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) held in Warsaw, [...]
May 30, 2018 by businessmirror.com.ph
Groups call for government regulation of e-cigarettes
To avoid the incidence of exploding electronic cigarette or e-cigarette device there’s a need to regulate the relatively new but a slowly growing vaping industry in the Philippines.
Like any other products, the manufacture of e-cigarettes and its parts, including the battery and vaping juice, must undergo quality control and meet safety standards, Heanage Mitchell of factasia.org told reporters at a press briefing in Quezon City on Monday.
April 11, 2018 by inquirer.net
2 groups warn of e-cigarettes’ harmful effects
Antitobacco group New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) warned Filipino youth against getting hooked on vaping following the release of studies in the United States listing the harmful effects of using e-cigarettes.
Emer Rojas, NVAP president, said the studies confirmed what health advocates had been saying all along — e-cigarettes are as dangerous as regular tobacco.
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