The former Department of Health adviser and health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon has declared that the use of vapes in the country has reached epidemic proportions.

The vape epidemic or "vapedemic" is the wide distribution of heated tobacco products or e-cigarettes, according to Leachon.

"Para siyang (It's like an) epidemic and based on the World Health Organization, 88 countries na ang (have) open regulations [when it comes to vaping], widely distributed [ang vapes], particularly among the younger populations," Leachon told the Daily Tribune.

"Now since vape is the step-down therapy as they propose, by the marketers, and harm reduction, the other messaging, and because of the alluring marketing message, nagkaroon siya ng parang (it becomes like) epidemic proportion," he added.

He also noted the increasing regulations on smoking, citing a strict law in Singapore that prohibits smoking within a building or public service vehicles, also contributes to the rise of vape usage.

"Ngayon (Now) when you have a gadget when you smoke, it can be subtly or even openly, even internal areas or indoors, nakakapag-vape ka (You can vape). That's number one. Number two, it's all over the place... Sa malls nandun siya (it's there) openly, dun sa (in the) streets nandun (it's there), sa bangketa, online nakukuha mo siya (in the street side, online, it's all there)," Leachon said.

Citing the WHO, Leachon said there are currently 16,000 available vape flavors worldwide.

Based on the data by the Department of Health, Leachon said there are about 12 to 15% of children and young adolescents who smoke e-cigarettes or vapes.

Meanwhile, according to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, there is a 110 percent increase in vape use in just four years, from 11.7 percent in 2015 to 24.6 percent in 2019.

A recent study by the Philippine Pediatric Society and the Department of Education found that the age of initiation of using e-cigarettes starts at 10 to 15 years old.

Looser regulations

Leachon lamented that looser regulations on e-cigarettes and vapes made them more appealing to the youth.

"Tinanggal ang (They removed) comprehensive bans on vapes and heated tobacco in public places and then it allows advertising, bawal ang advertising sa tobacco (advertising of tobacco was not allowed before), now they allow and then ito ang pinaka-dager, nilipat ng law natin ang regulation from the [Food and Drug Administration] to the [Department of Trade and Industry] so it's more business or economic side (and then it is the most dagger, our law moved the regulation from the FDA to the DTI)," Leachon said.

"Nag-create ng (They created a) law not to restrict it, but to facilitate it," he added.

Under the law, the DTI has exclusive jurisdiction over any issues, requirements, and subject matters related to vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products.

Only properly registered vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products with the applicable graphic health warnings are allowed to be sold, advertised, or distributed through whatever means.

Harms of vaping

"It's very harmful kasi (because) it contains nicotine pa rin," he added noting that a 20 milligram per milliliter vape is equivalent to smoking of at least 48 cigarettes.

Citing a study conducted at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, the health expert said cigarette smoking showed evidence of aging and heart disease of the arteries, but e-cigarettes were even more prone to cause cardiovascular diseases lead or plaques leading to bursting leading to heart attacks and severe cardiovascular problems.

"Also, the WHO enumerated so many problems related to that, let's say it cause addiction, it's hurting the brain of the younger population, it causes a lot of things aside from addiction, it can cause cancer in the long run, it can cause electronic vape lung injury [or EVALI]. This has cause a lot of problems right now among the youth," he added.

'Curiosity, peer pressure'

Mary, not her real name, was just curious when she first tried to vape.

"Curiosity and the want to look cool. Ang angas ng mga kaklase kong nagva-vape (I thought that my classmates who vape look cool). Nasa stage ako na (I am in the phase that) I think I want to look cool and powerful somehow," she shared.

Meanwhile, for Jonathan, it was peer pressure that drove him to become addicted to vaping.

Christian, a millennial, who started vaping in April 2023, tried to use vapes as an alternative to cigarettes.

"Gusto ko na mag-quit sa yosi kasi di nakaka-cute ang smell, tar buildup sa mouth and nose, and puffy effect niya sa mukha ko kinabukasan (I wanted to quit smoking cigarettes because I didn't like its smell, tar build up in the mouth and nose, and its puffy effects on my face the day after smoking it)," he added.

Christian said he is now planning to quit vaping for good.

No safer alternative

Leachon said there is no safer alternative to e-cigarettes or vapes but abstinence.

"Wala (None) since tobacco and vape are both dangerous, then dapat itigil natin siya (they should stop it). Wala siyang (There is no) alternative. I don't think they should use it," he stressed.

The diseases one could get from vaping, according to Leachon are coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic lung diseases, vascular diseases that may lead to the lower extremities, lung injury, and eye injuries.