DOH wants to outlaw vaping in Philippines, says senator now drafting bill on ban

The Department of Health on Wednesday called for a ban on the sale of electronic cigarettes in the country, claiming these devices posed health risks to users.

DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo said the department will support legislation aimed at banning e-cigarettes that enable users to inhale addictive nicotine liquids.

“Kung tatalon from a building that’s 100-story building, mamatay ka, pero kung 5-story building tumalon ka, mamamatay ka din. Hindi siya safe. Ang safe ay huminga ng hangin na walang chemicals,” Domingo said at a news conference in Malacañang.

He said a bill on the proposed ban is being drafted by a senator whose name he did not identify.

A study in the United States found that even though e-cigarettes are seen as an alternative to regular cigarettes, young adults who occasionally smoked conventional cigarettes smoked more of them if they also used e-cigarettes.

In July, the World Health Organization warned that e-cigarettes were "undoubtedly harmful" and should be regulated.

The Food and Drug Administration had moved to regulate the manufacture, distribution and use of e-cigarettes but the courts in Pasig and Manila stopped its implementation for the meantime following a suit filed by two companies.

“We are fighting it out in court,” Domingo said. —NB, GMA News