Vape users urge regulation instead of ban

A vape store owner and a vape user on Wednesday appealed for a regulation on electronic cigarettes instead after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a ban on vaping on Tuesday.

In a report by Vonne Aquino on GMA News’ Unang Balita, store owner Michael Yu said the ban should be reconsidered.

“Pwede naman kaming sumunod sa regulation, sa public place na kung bawal talaga mag-vape pero yung tamang ano lang, regulation,” he said.

Vape user Marvin Gacita suggested the same, saying that e-cigarettes helped him quit smoking tobacco.

“Hindi sana 'yung totally na ban, 'yung parang sa public lang po na may mga lugar na hindi mag-vape ganun,’ he said.

Yu and Gacita said their shortness of breath became less frequent after they quit  smoking traditional cigarettes and took up vaping instead.

“Nakatulong, dati ampayat ko eh, ngayon tumaba anlaki nga ng tiyan ko, tsaka nakakagawa na ako ng mga activities na like badminton, basketball na hindi ako hinihingal,” said Yu, who has been vaping for eight years.

“Dati nung nagyoyosi ako nakakaramdam ako ng parang naninikip yung paghinga ko, pero ngayon na nagvevape ako parang nag-iba. Yung parang kahit nagbabasketball ako hindi na ako hinihingal gaano,” said Gacita, who has been vaping for two years.

On Tuesday, Duterte ordered law enforcers to arrest vape smokers in public, as he announced a ban on its use and importation. 

“I will ban it, the use and importation...because it is toxic...it is not good and contrary to public safety,” he said in a televised news conference.

The Department of Health (DOH) last week confirmed the first reported lung injury related to vaping in the country.  — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News