DOH chief wants probe on exploding e-cigarette; group wants vapes regulated

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday said the government will launch an investigation into the exploding e-cigarette or vape that injured a 17-year-old male.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Duque said he will meet with officials from the Food and Drug Authority on Monday to look into the incident. The victim remains confined at a Quezon City hospital.

"Lalo na ngayon nai-ulat na may nasabugan ng gamit itong para sa vape o e-cigarette. Dapat tignan talaga iyan saan galing iyan, otorisado ba iyon," he said.

The Health chief theye is a need to conduct a "very thorough investigation "para malaman natin ang tunay na dahilan ng pagsabog at legal ba na pagpasok niyan."

"Tignan natin pati regulatory... kung may nalabag ba dito [na batas]," he added.

Pag-regulate sa paggamit ng vape o e-cigarette, balak talakayin ng DOH kasunod ng pagsabog nito sa bibig ng isang binatilyo. #SuperBalitaSaHapon

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) November 3, 2018

Regulate vapes

Meanwhile, the Philippine E-cigarette Industry Association has called on the government to regulate the use of vapes.

"Importante 'yung hinihingi namin sa Kongreso at sa Senate na ma-regulate na itong vaping kasi po para maprotektahan lahat ng gumagamit nito," said the group's president Joey Dulay in a report on GMA News' 24 Oras Weekend.

According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2015, 2.8 percent of the adults surveyed said they have already used e-cigarettes.

Among students between 13 and 15 years old, meanwhile, 11.7 percent have admitted to having used vapes.

There is currently no law or agency tasked to regulate vape use, the TV report said. — MDM, GMA News