DOH expresses alarm on rising tobacco prevalence

The Department of Health (DOH) has expressed alarm over the rising prevalence of tobacco product usage among Filipinos.

In a statement on Friday, 4 April, the DOH reminded the public that nicotine addiction from tobacco products remains a critical public health concern in the Philippines.

Citing the 2023 National Nutrition Survey, tobacco prevalence went up from 19 percent in 2021 to 24.4 percent among adults aged 20 to 59.

With this, the DOH stressed that tobacco use is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates over eight million annual deaths attributable to tobacco.

In the Philippines, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority for 2023 and 2024 indicate that the top three causes of death — heart attacks, cancer, and strokes — are all linked to tobacco use.

"Beyond its association with the top three causes of death, cigarette smoking is also linked to a range of other serious health conditions. These include lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and harmful reproductive health effects," the DOH noted.

Additionally, smoking contributes to other diseases, including certain eye disorders and immune system problems like rheumatoid arthritis, the Health department also noted.

The agency also emphasized the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure, which is known to cause coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer in adults, and increases the risk of respiratory and ear infections, asthma attacks, and sudden infant death syndrome in children.

"Vapes and vapor products pose significant health risks, including e-cigarette or vapor product associated lung injury (EVALI), nicotine addiction, and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, among others," the DOH warned.

The Philippines has already recorded and published its first case of EVALI-related death in a 22-year-old athletic male who had no history of smoking or other vices but started vaping at an early age.

In May 2024, the young patient succumbed to severe lung injury, which the DOH attributed to his daily vape use.

Beyond its policy achievements with the Sin Tax and Graphic Health Warnings, the DOH also urged users of tobacco and vape products to make use of its Quitline (1558) and other smoking cessation services.

"The DOH continues to refuse and reject all proposed donations by the tobacco industry, whether to its officials or the agency or its units," it maintained.

"We thank allies who continually remind us of the perils of tobacco and vape, and who are aware of the legal mandate and scope of the Department. We are saddened that some may have fallen victim to industry tactics of divide and conquer."

DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa was recently under fire for posing with executives from Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Co. during an event at Malacañang.

Health reform advocates previously slammed Herbosa for allegedly "promoting tobacco products," citing Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2010-001 of the Civil Service Commission and the DOH, which explicitly mandates that government officials avoid unnecessary interactions with and prohibit accepting donations from the tobacco industry.

However, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said there was no proof that Herbosa was the one who had accepted the donation from tobacco companies.

"If the DOH didn't receive any donation from the tobacco company, we don't see anything wrong with that," she added.