Over 100 youth groups issue six-point manifesto vs. tobacco industry on World Lung Day

Declaring that “the time for silent acceptance is over,” young Filipinos issued a powerful challenge to the government and the tobacco industry as they unveiled a national youth manifesto calling for sweeping reforms to protect their generation from nicotine addiction.

Launched on World Lung Day by the TobaccOFF NOW! Movement, the “Filipino Youth Manifesto Against Tobacco Industry Interference” is a bold declaration of intent from the country’s youth sector, co-developed by 79 organizations and supported by more than 100 community partners nationwide.

“We, the Filipino youth, are taking back our future now,” the manifesto opens. “We refuse to let our health and well-being be compromised by the tobacco industry and their desire to create a new generation addicted to traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and other nicotine-based products.”

Citing alarming trends—including data that 1 in 7 Filipino youth has tried e-cigarettes or vapes at least once—the manifesto demands accountability from those who profit from their suffering and courage from those who govern to make youth a national health priority.

It calls for immediate action in six key areas, guided by the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the first global public health treaty to address the tobacco epidemic:

• Raise the restricted age – Increase the minimum age for purchasing all nicotine-based products to 21 years old, protecting young people during peak developmental years.
• Eliminate flavors – Ban all flavorings in vapes, heated tobacco, nicotine pouches, and other nicotine products that are designed to attract youth.
• Terminate packaging designs – Outlaw bright, colorful, and sleek packaging and devices that make nicotine products look fun and harmless.
• Strengthen distribution laws – Enforce stricter regulations against online and social media sales and penalize retailers who sell to minors.
• Enforce advertising bans – Impose a comprehensive ban on advertising, promotions, influencer deals, and sponsorships, and penalize brands that violate these restrictions.
• Increase taxation – Raise taxes on all nicotine-based products to create economic barriers and prioritize public health over profit.

“The launch of our youth manifesto is the beginning of a much bigger fight of the young people against tobacco industry interference,” said Vonn Vincent Tanchuan, Campaign Lead of TobaccOFF NOW!. 

“Through it, we want to clearly demand accountability from the tobacco industry and courage from the Philippine government to make us, the young people of this country, your priority.”

The launch in Pasig City drew wide support from leaders in public health and tobacco control, including representatives from ImagineLaw, the Philippine Smoke-Free Network, HealthJustice Philippines, Transcend, and the Ateneo School of Government.

For advocates, the manifesto is not just a policy document; it is a statement of youth power.

The movement aims to collect 15,000 youth signatures by the end of 2025 to bolster the manifesto and expand its reach. It also seeks to mobilize 50,000 youth leaders and reach 15 million young Filipinos nationwide through online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and school-based partnerships.

The manifesto is endorsed by a wide range of organizations—from student governments and community groups to national youth coalitions—united under one message:

“We are the Filipino youth. We are the TobaccOFF NOW! Movement. We are your next generation of leaders, creators, advocates, volunteers, students, and community drivers. We are a force for change, and we will not stop until our call is met and we ensure a generation free from nicotine addiction, a country free from tobacco industry interference, and a future where every youth breathes freely and lives a healthier life.”

The TobaccOFF NOW! Movement said that as the world commemorates World Lung Day, the battle for healthier lungs must begin by protecting the youth from predatory industry tactics and ensuring policies put their well-being above profit. — BM, GMA Integrated News