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Medical experts ask Duterte to veto 'pro-industry' vape bill

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Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Dr. Tony Dans says only FDA has the competence to regulate vaping products. Screengrab by ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/01/24/20220124-medical-experts.jpg"/><figcaption>Dr. Tony Dans says only FDA has the competence to regulate vaping products. Screengrab by ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Doctors from various fields on Monday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to veto a controversial bill that they claim would ultimately &quot;deregulate&quot; the sale and consumption of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products or vapes. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">NOW: Medical experts appeal to Pres. Duterte to veto the controversial vape bill.<br/><br/>The bill has been described by some experts as “pro-industry” as it puts regulation of vape products under the DTI, instead of the FDA.<br/><br/>Note that even DOH opposes this bill. <a href="https://t.co/YkkRneZbWo">pic.twitter.com/YkkRneZbWo</a></p>— J. Villaruel (@jauhnetienne) <a href="https://twitter.com/jauhnetienne/status/1485425508787851264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>In a press conference organized by the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), at least 5 doctors representing their medical societies voiced their opposition to the proposed Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Regulation Act, recently approved by the bicameral conference committee. </p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/pcpofficialpage/videos/1137341143702626/" data-width="auto"> </div><p>&quot;Ang vape bill na ito ay hindi makatarungan… Ito ay anti-youth, anti-children, anti-health... Dinagdagan pa nila ang flavors ng vape, dati 2 ngayon 11 na. Pinapababa din nito ang edad ng puwedeng gumamit from 21 to 18,&quot; Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president Dr. Benny Atienza said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/15/21/doctors-blast-senators-for-passing-vape-bill">Doctors blast senators for passing vape bill on 2nd reading</a></li></ul><p>Under the bill, individuals aged 18 and above would be allowed to purchase vaping products as opposed to the current age limit of 21.</p><p>Pediatrician Dr. Corry Avanceña of the Philippine Pediatric Society and Philippine Academy of Pediatric Pulmonologists emphasized the danger of allowing younger people to access vaping products, the &quot;health benefits&quot; of which remain debatable.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/09/15/21/vapes-e-cigarettes-increase-risk-of-covid-19-doctors">Vapes, e-cigarettes increase risk of COVID-19 infection: doctors</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Ang nicotine, &#x27;yan ang addicting substance ng sigarilyo at ng vape. So if you start smoking or vaping [at a younger age], &#x27;yung part ng brain na affected ay &#x27;yung for higher learning, for memory, mood, so mas malaking pinsala,&quot; she said. </p><p>Another controversial provision of the bill is the authority granted to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as the lead agency to regulate the vaping devices and products. </p><p>According former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director general Dr. Eric Domingo, regulation of vape products should have been assigned to a health agency. </p><p>&quot;Ito ay sinusunog at pinapasok sa baga ng tao... FDA lamang ang may kakayahan to determine kung wala itong mga lason, yung concentration nya ay di makakamatay sa mga gumagamit,&quot; Domingo said.</p><p>Longtime health advocate Dr. Tony Dans also questioned DTI&#x27;s competence to regulate vaping products. </p><p>&quot;Masalimuot pong topic yang vape, araw-araw may lumalabas na ebidensya tungkol dyan. Part ng regulatory skill ng FDA ay keeping track of the literature… Walang expertise na gawin yan ang DTI sa ngayon,&quot; he said.</p><p>PCP president Dra. Maricar Limpin also criticized some medical doctors supportive of the bill, alleging that they were influenced by the tobacco and vaping industries.</p><p>&quot;Maraming fallacies tungkol sa vape bill ang pinapakalat, na ginagamit pa nga po ang [ibang] doktor... Mukhang naging biktima sila ng industriya,&quot; said Limpin.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/25/21/house-passes-bill-on-e-cigarettes-vapes-amid-concerns-over-provisions">House passes bill on e-cigarettes, vapes amid concerns over provisions</a></li></ul><p>Limpin also lamented how medical experts were allegedly ignored by the legislators who crafted the bill, which she said ended up being &quot;pro-industry.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Masama ang loob namin sa legislators. Ang pinakinggan nila yung industriya lamang. Bakit itong mga industriya ang lalakas sa legislators na ito?&quot; she said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/01/21/21/barkada-culture-weaponized-the-shared-joy-and-despair-of-vaping-among-pinoy-youth">Barkada culture &#x27;weaponized&#x27;?: The shared joy and despair of vaping among Pinoy youth</a></li></ul><p>The Department of Health described the bill as &quot;retrogressive and contains several provisions that contradict public health goals and international standards.&quot;</p><p>RELATED VIDEO</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gx9kUnxMpBI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Doctors lamented how medical experts were allegedly ignored by the legislators who crafted the vape bill.

Medical experts ask Duterte to veto 'pro-industry' vape bill

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Medical experts ask Duterte to veto 'pro-industry' vape bill

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 24, 2022 05:45 PM PHT

Read More:

Vape

vaping

Rodrigo Duterte

veto

vape bill

tobacco

tobacco industry

tobacco industry interference

vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products

vapes

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