A Lung Injury Crisis Among the Youth Is Brewing in the Philippines, Medical Officials Warn

While tobacco consumption has been declining worldwide over the past decade, the rise of the vape and e-cigarette industry is meeting the demand among young people. Medical officials in the Philippines are now warning the public of a potential epidemic of EVALI or e-cigarette or vape-associated lung injuries.

“We will not sit idly by and turn a blind eye to the predatory practices of this industry. By allowing the Philippines to position itself as a manufacturing hub, we are essentially paving the way for an EVALI epidemic,” pulmonologist Dr. Maricar Limpin of the Action on Smoking and Health explained during a roundtable discussion last week. “It was just one case in 2019, but we’re beginning to observe more and more cases today, especially among young people."

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As it stands, the latest Global Youth Tobacco Survey suggests that one out of seven Filipino youths from the ages of 13 to 15 are using vapes. The pulmonologist stressed how the tobacco industry's marketing tactics end up targeting young people.

It's an alarming trend that's transitioned from marketing cigarettes to vapes. The International Tobacco Agricultural Summit last year also confirmed that the Philippines was seen as a potential center for heated tobacco products.

Back in 2019, the Department of Health reported the first case of EVALI in the Philippines. The 16-year-old was an avid user of vape and cigarettes. Unfortunately, the Philippines doesn't have as much available data on EVALI and related injuries and deaths.

According to the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, about 14 percent of Filipino students from the ages of 13 to 15 used electronic cigarettes. Meanwhile, 24.6 percent have tried similar products before the survey. Similar findings from the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute say that in 2022, about 4.2 percent of adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old are smokers.

Medical officials say that Republic Act 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act should be reexamined in light of the findings. This would mean that regulatory jurisdiction for such products should transfer the scope of the Food and Drug Administration to the Department of Trade and Industry.