The Philippine Government Officially Recognizes E-Cigarettes as Legal Harm Reduction Products
Good news from the Philippines: the local government has passed a resolution recognizing e-cigarettes as a harm reduction aid. Policymakers believe e-cigarettes have achieved great success in the UK as a smoking cessation tool, and well-known reports from
Good news from the Philippines, the local government has passed a resolution to recognize e-cigarettes as "harm reduction tools!"
Decision-makers believe that "e-cigarettes have achieved great success as smoking cessation aids in the UK, and the renowned reports from Public Health England (PHE) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) indicate that e-cigarettes are at least 95% safer than traditional cigarettes."
The HR1885 (harm reduction resolution) states that "e-cigarettes provide another option. It is based on the idea of reducing harm, and we can help smokers transition from cigarettes to products that lower smoking risks."
Previously, the Philippine Department of Health maintained a ban on e-cigarettes.
In December 2016, the Philippine Department of Health publicly agreed with the "World Health Assembly's stance on avoiding potential risks of e-cigarettes," even though there was no research at that time confirming such risks.
In 2017, after the World Health Assembly urged member countries to implement relevant bans, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial announced that the health department would ban e-cigarettes based on the World Health Assembly's recommendations. In fact, HR1885 contradicts many provisions of the e-cigarette ban.
The resolution emphasizes that although the government complies with the "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" and the directives of the World Health Organization, people continue to use tobacco products. However, "e-cigarettes provide another option based on the idea of reducing harm, which can help smokers transition from cigarettes to products that lower smoking risks."
Public health experts will be pleased with the passage of this resolution, as the current president of the Philippines is known for his strict stance on "addiction." Many expected that such legislation would not receive government approval (local President Rodrigo Duterte promised to kill addicts and drug dealers during his campaign, stating that fish in Manila would grow fat from feeding on the corpses of these individuals).
Peter Paul Dator, head of The Vapers Philippines, stated, "We are an organization that supports e-cigarettes and have been committed to promoting these devices as safer alternatives to cigarettes. The passage of this resolution reassures me."
"Thanks to Philippine legislators for being open to the scientific evidence supporting e-cigarettes and allowing them to be recognized as lower-risk alternatives to traditional cigarettes. We will continue to urge the Department of Health to maintain the same stance to help save more lives of Filipino smokers," Peter Paul Dator added.
Decision-makers believe that "e-cigarettes have achieved great success as smoking cessation aids in the UK, and the renowned reports from Public Health England (PHE) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) indicate that e-cigarettes are at least 95% safer than traditional cigarettes."
The HR1885 (harm reduction resolution) states that "e-cigarettes provide another option. It is based on the idea of reducing harm, and we can help smokers transition from cigarettes to products that lower smoking risks."
Previously, the Philippine Department of Health maintained a ban on e-cigarettes.
In December 2016, the Philippine Department of Health publicly agreed with the "World Health Assembly's stance on avoiding potential risks of e-cigarettes," even though there was no research at that time confirming such risks.In 2017, after the World Health Assembly urged member countries to implement relevant bans, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial announced that the health department would ban e-cigarettes based on the World Health Assembly's recommendations. In fact, HR1885 contradicts many provisions of the e-cigarette ban.
The resolution emphasizes that although the government complies with the "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" and the directives of the World Health Organization, people continue to use tobacco products. However, "e-cigarettes provide another option based on the idea of reducing harm, which can help smokers transition from cigarettes to products that lower smoking risks."
Public health experts will be pleased with the passage of this resolution, as the current president of the Philippines is known for his strict stance on "addiction." Many expected that such legislation would not receive government approval (local President Rodrigo Duterte promised to kill addicts and drug dealers during his campaign, stating that fish in Manila would grow fat from feeding on the corpses of these individuals).
Peter Paul Dator, head of The Vapers Philippines, stated, "We are an organization that supports e-cigarettes and have been committed to promoting these devices as safer alternatives to cigarettes. The passage of this resolution reassures me."
"Thanks to Philippine legislators for being open to the scientific evidence supporting e-cigarettes and allowing them to be recognized as lower-risk alternatives to traditional cigarettes. We will continue to urge the Department of Health to maintain the same stance to help save more lives of Filipino smokers," Peter Paul Dator added.
