VAPING IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH IT CONTAINS AEROSOL, A HARMFUL CHEMICAL

ASH Philippines Health Advocates: A Big No for Philip Morris International Alternatives to Cigarettes

By Dr. Maricar Limpin

Smoking is dangerous to your health.

Health experts and advocates along with Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines dismissed Philip Morris International’s (PMI) push for public discussion on better alternatives to cigarettes. ASH urges the public to be vigilant as this move is a recognized tactic of the Tobacco Industry to just shift to another type of product and not as a way to reconcile the decades of damage that smoking has caused to public health.

 

“PMI is still a business entity and at the end of the day it is their business interest that they must protect. PMI’s business is never health, otherwise, they wouldn’t be making products that are still harmful, but marketed as less harmful when the goal should be that they cause no harm at all,” remarked Pulmonologist and ASH Philippines Executive Director, Dr. Maricar Limpin.

 

Despite PMI Vice President Global Communications Tommaso di Giovanni’s claims that the new technology of e-cigarettes makes it a better alternative to conventional cigarettes and that it would promote health, Dr. Annette David of the Guam State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup cautioned against the belief that these products are “safe”.

Vaping same as smoking cigarettes will only aggravate health problems and can cause cancer. Vaping contains harmful chemicals that are dangerous to our health.

 

According to David vaping produces aerosols that contain harmful chemicals and toxins, some known to cause cancer and lung diseases, and others associated with heart disease and stroke. Data have documented that the use of e-cigarettes has led to “popcorn lungs” (bronchitis obliterans), accelerated COPD, seizures, and most recently, EVALI (E-cigarette and vaping-associated lung injury).

 

“The best way to avoid harm is to quit smoking altogether,” said David. “Smokers who also vape markedly increase their risk for lung disease, and non-smokers, many of whom are young people, who take up vaping are not only taking on significant health risks, they are also prone to becoming addicted to nicotine, which may increase the risk for future addiction to cigarettes and other drugs.”

 

Moreover, research on harm reduction claims of e-cigarettes is considered flawed as published studies are influenced by the industry.

 

“What I can tell you is that there is mounting evidence that vape causes adverse effects on health. Vape is not harmless, it is not safe, it’s as simple as that. As long as there is no scientific evidence or study by people with no conflict of interest with the industry, then PMI should not tag their products as a health promotion device,” said Limpin.

 

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance, Philippines (FCAP) President Roberto Del Rosario also appealed to leaders and legislators to put premium the protection of the health of Filipinos, especially children as the prevalence of youth vaping continues to increase.

 

“The candy or fruity flavorings of vape e-liquids appeals to the youth, in fact, the packaging design of these seemingly targets our youth. We can remember the EVALI outbreak in the US wherein most victims were young adolescents. If PMI is truly pushing for healthier alternatives then this would not have happened with e-cigarettes.” (VerGarcialogs)

 

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