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In this article, we will share information about health warnings for electronic cigarettes, which should be differentiated from tobacco cigarettes. According to Indonesian professor and medical expert Tikki Pangestu, who spoke during the second Philippine Harm Reduction Online Forum hosted by the Harm Reduction Alliance of the Philippines, health warnings for vaping products and other safer alternatives like HTPs (heated tobacco products) should differ from those on cigarettes.

“Health warnings on combustible cigarette packs should not be the same as those on e-cigarette and HTP (heated tobacco product) packaging. This is because e-cigarettes and HTPs have been shown to be 90 to 95 percent less harmful than combustible cigarettes,” said Pangestu, a visiting professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore and former director of research policy and cooperation at the World Health Organization.

Measures stated in Republic Acts 11346 and 11467 mandate that the Department of Health issue health warning templates for HTPs and vaping products. In line with arguments from other public health experts, Pangestu stated that health warnings should be “proportionate to the risk of smoke-free products.”

He emphasized that while not entirely risk-free, these products are “significantly less harmful” than combustible cigarettes, and their respective warnings should reflect this.

Health warnings could also indicate that smoke-free products are only for adults and should not be used by young people, Pangestu said. Many factors must be considered in formulating regulations, but in my opinion, such regulations should be based on science and evidence surrounding smoke-free products, he added.

The Science of Politics

He pointed out that while he believes local governments are open to hearing views from various stakeholders, they tend to be influenced by factors other than just science.

“I believe that the Philippine government is quite open to hearing opinions and views from different stakeholders, but ultimately the government has to make a decision. And many of these decisions are not only based on scientific evidence but are influenced by various factors such as political, economic, and socio-cultural aspects,” he said.

Philippine FDA Funding Incident

The Philippine FDA was recently embroiled in a scandal when two members of the House of Representatives were forced to suspend public consultations on vaping and HTPs after the organization was compelled to admit it had received grants from The Union and the Bloomberg Initiative.

Both groups are known to oppose all forms of nicotine products, including safer alternatives that help millions of people quit smoking. “The Union co-manages the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use Grants Program, which provides funding to projects that deliver high-impact tobacco control interventions in low and middle-income countries,” said Rep. Estrellita Suansing during the virtual consultation session held on October 8.

“In 2019, The Union launched the Global Implementation Program, which supports cities in effectively implementing tobacco control legislation, and we are a key partner in STOP, the global tobacco industry watchdog. Both projects are also funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies,” she added.

So that concludes this article. Hopefully, an article like this can provide new insights for you vapers. Of course, if you want to share and gain more knowledge about vape, you can visit the nearest Vapeboss retail store, where our Vaporista will assist you and provide a lot of information about the vape world. Also, if you need vape supplies and find it difficult to buy them due to rainy conditions, you can contact our retail WA for purchases with a COD system. Because Vapeboss has been the most complete and trusted vape store since 2014, whatever your vape needs, they will surely be available there.

Keep Calm and Vape Like a Boss and Always stay safe while vaping and always adhere to health protocols in the current pandemic. Have a nice day Bigboss!