Expert wants legal age of vaping raised to 25
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Expert wants legal age of vaping raised to 25
A man vapes outside a restaurant in Mandaluyong on November 12,2019. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News/File
A man vapes outside a restaurant in Mandaluyong on November 12,2019. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News/FileOLONGAPO CITY — A pulmonologist reiterated the need to amend the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, commonly known as the Vape Law.
Dr. Maricar Limpin, past president of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, specifically wants to raise the legal age of vaping from the current 18 years old to 25 years old.
"Kasi ‘di ba nakita natin 13 to 15 years of age gumagamit na, tapos nakikita rin natin ang mga nagkakasakit nasa edad 22, 21, 23. Ibig sabihin, iyong batas na allowing purchase [ng vape]... dating 21 na binaba pa sa 18. So siguro itaas na lang uli natin. Gawin na lang nating, ideally dapat 25," she said during a health literacy media conference in Subic, Olongapo City.
"Kasi iyong maturation ng control center ng brain natin occurs at the age of 25. Bakit 25? Because iyon iyong edad na kaya na niyang mag-isip: 'Masama ito sa akin.' Mas kaya niyang i-control ang sarili niya, imbes na magpadala siya sa mga nakikita lang niya... Kung hindi kaya ng 25, then pwede na ang 21," she added.
Limpin said this can also be applied to the legal age for drinking alcoholic beverages.
"To make it fair, gawin na lang silang lahat mataas ang edad kasi para wala nang dahilan para magsabi sila na, 'E-cigarette lang ang mataas ang edad bago bumili.' Pati na rin ang sigarilyo, pati na rin ang alcohol. Kasi, anyway, same principles apply: iyong maturation nung control center ng brain natin occurs at the age of 25," she said.
OLONGAPO CITY — A pulmonologist reiterated the need to amend the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, commonly known as the Vape Law.
Dr. Maricar Limpin, past president of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, specifically wants to raise the legal age of vaping from the current 18 years old to 25 years old.
"Kasi ‘di ba nakita natin 13 to 15 years of age gumagamit na, tapos nakikita rin natin ang mga nagkakasakit nasa edad 22, 21, 23. Ibig sabihin, iyong batas na allowing purchase [ng vape]... dating 21 na binaba pa sa 18. So siguro itaas na lang uli natin. Gawin na lang nating, ideally dapat 25," she said during a health literacy media conference in Subic, Olongapo City.
"Kasi iyong maturation ng control center ng brain natin occurs at the age of 25. Bakit 25? Because iyon iyong edad na kaya na niyang mag-isip: 'Masama ito sa akin.' Mas kaya niyang i-control ang sarili niya, imbes na magpadala siya sa mga nakikita lang niya... Kung hindi kaya ng 25, then pwede na ang 21," she added.
Limpin said this can also be applied to the legal age for drinking alcoholic beverages.
"To make it fair, gawin na lang silang lahat mataas ang edad kasi para wala nang dahilan para magsabi sila na, 'E-cigarette lang ang mataas ang edad bago bumili.' Pati na rin ang sigarilyo, pati na rin ang alcohol. Kasi, anyway, same principles apply: iyong maturation nung control center ng brain natin occurs at the age of 25," she said.
Dr. Maricar Limpin, past president of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, specifically wants to raise the legal age of vaping from the current 18 years old to 25 years old.
"Kasi ‘di ba nakita natin 13 to 15 years of age gumagamit na, tapos nakikita rin natin ang mga nagkakasakit nasa edad 22, 21, 23. Ibig sabihin, iyong batas na allowing purchase [ng vape]... dating 21 na binaba pa sa 18. So siguro itaas na lang uli natin. Gawin na lang nating, ideally dapat 25," she said during a health literacy media conference in Subic, Olongapo City.
"Kasi iyong maturation ng control center ng brain natin occurs at the age of 25. Bakit 25? Because iyon iyong edad na kaya na niyang mag-isip: 'Masama ito sa akin.' Mas kaya niyang i-control ang sarili niya, imbes na magpadala siya sa mga nakikita lang niya... Kung hindi kaya ng 25, then pwede na ang 21," she added.
Limpin said this can also be applied to the legal age for drinking alcoholic beverages.
"To make it fair, gawin na lang silang lahat mataas ang edad kasi para wala nang dahilan para magsabi sila na, 'E-cigarette lang ang mataas ang edad bago bumili.' Pati na rin ang sigarilyo, pati na rin ang alcohol. Kasi, anyway, same principles apply: iyong maturation nung control center ng brain natin occurs at the age of 25," she said.
FDA TO REGULATE?
FDA TO REGULATE?
The expert said another amendment to the current law would be to designate the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the sole regulator, instead of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
"E parang sinabi natin wala ng pakialam sa health; ang pinakaimportante dyan kumita lang tayo. Iyon lang ang concern, but it is not just trade issue, it is not just economic - more importantly ay health,” Limpin said.
"Because of the end of the day, aanhin mo ang pera kung karamihan ng tao naman nagkakasakit at namamatay? Aanhin mo ang pera, wala namang maipagamot kahit ang gobyerno kulang nga iyong perang kinikita pa natin? So might as well shift ang regulatory function from DTI to FDA.”
The doctor added that in other countries, food and drug agencies have the authority to regulate e-cigarettes, as well as health devices.
Limpin said it is time to remove vape flavors, which are causing more harm to the already harmful products.
"Sa studies, napapakita that it is the use of the flavor that causes the highest damage to the DNA, to the genome that can be lead to cancer okay. Alisin na lang iyong flavor kasi wala na iyan doon sa Sin Tax Reform Law, bakit ibinalik pa ulit? It doesn't make sense... Ni-limit na nga noon sa tobacco and menthol flavor. Actually dapat wala na lang, alisin din pati menthol kasi sa menthol mataas din ang damage to the DNA," she said.
Earlier, Senator Pia Cayetano said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee met with concerned government agencies to revisit what they have been doing to strictly implement the law.
The expert said another amendment to the current law would be to designate the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the sole regulator, instead of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
"E parang sinabi natin wala ng pakialam sa health; ang pinakaimportante dyan kumita lang tayo. Iyon lang ang concern, but it is not just trade issue, it is not just economic - more importantly ay health,” Limpin said.
"Because of the end of the day, aanhin mo ang pera kung karamihan ng tao naman nagkakasakit at namamatay? Aanhin mo ang pera, wala namang maipagamot kahit ang gobyerno kulang nga iyong perang kinikita pa natin? So might as well shift ang regulatory function from DTI to FDA.”
The doctor added that in other countries, food and drug agencies have the authority to regulate e-cigarettes, as well as health devices.
Limpin said it is time to remove vape flavors, which are causing more harm to the already harmful products.
"Sa studies, napapakita that it is the use of the flavor that causes the highest damage to the DNA, to the genome that can be lead to cancer okay. Alisin na lang iyong flavor kasi wala na iyan doon sa Sin Tax Reform Law, bakit ibinalik pa ulit? It doesn't make sense... Ni-limit na nga noon sa tobacco and menthol flavor. Actually dapat wala na lang, alisin din pati menthol kasi sa menthol mataas din ang damage to the DNA," she said.
Earlier, Senator Pia Cayetano said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee met with concerned government agencies to revisit what they have been doing to strictly implement the law.
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