BANGKOK — Although the use of tobacco has declined in the Philippines for over ten years, electric cigarette and vape usage has increased, particularly among the youth aged 13-15 years old, the Department of Health said Tuesday. In a forum, DOH - Health Promotion Bureau representative Armund Arguellas said the prevalence of using electronic cigarettes is increasing, especially among Filipino youth, with a 110% increase in just four years, from 11.7% in 2015 to 24.6% in 2019.
To address these challenges and the risk of the tobacco epidemic, Arguellas presented the Philippine National Tobacco Strategy for Prevention and Control 2030, which outlines the directions for preventing and controlling tobacco- and vape-related diseases in the country in the next eight years.