Health group slams vape firm anew

A tobacco control and public health advocacy group on Friday slammed a United States-based e-cigarette company for reportedly interfering in policymaking and actively lobbying against vape regulations in the Philippines.

According to HealthJustice Philippines, this resulted in an “industry friendly” Republic Act 11900 or the Vape Regulation Law.

Citing a recently published report by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), HealthJustice scored Juul Labs for its “dirty tactics.”

HealthJustice Philippines pointed to Juul Labs’ active mobilization of support for its product during the period of the Vape Bill debate in the country.

“When the vape and tobacco industry meddle in policymaking and peddle their addictive products to the youth, they sabotage public health and our children’s lives. We must counteract the deceptions because vapes can kill and are not a healthier alternative,” stressed Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, former Health secretary and current board member of HealthJustice.

“Our Department of Health has already confirmed one death caused mainly by vaping. Let us not allow this number to spike,” Tan said.

In May, the DoH attributed the death of a 22-year-old Filipino male to his daily vape use. The patient had sustained a severe lung injury.

Citing the SEATCA report, HealthJustice said Juul Labs actively recruited harm-reduction advocates, medical professionals, and public relations consultants “to paint a positive image of vapes as less harmful to health.”

As a marketing strategy, Juul Labs had planned the launch of low-cost products at the affordable price of $1 (P57) per pack to encourage purchases, the group said.

Meanwhile, SEATCA echoed the call to impose more stringent regulations against vapes and urged the Philippine government to have tobacco industry lobbyists duly registered.

“This Juul case study clearly illustrates how the tobacco industry navigates and manipulates regulatory environments to advance its business interests,” Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo, executive director of SEATCA, said.