SEVERE HEALTH RISK. A man smokes vape in this undated photo. The Department of Health on Wednesday (May 29, 2024) said use of e-cigarettes and vape products increase the possibility of severe health risks among the youth. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday warned the public against use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and other vape products as they cause severe health risks, citing a recent medical case report.
“E-cigarettes and vaping are not a safe alternative to smoking. Usok pa rin 'yan (They still produce harmful smoke),” DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a statement.
Citing the case documented by Dr. Margarita Isabel Fernandez and published in the Respirology Case Reports Journal, Herbosa urged the youth “not to believe false advertisements saying that vaping is a safer smoking alternative”.
In the case report, Fernandez discussed the condition of a 22-year-old Filipino male with no prior health issues.
The patient suffered a fatal heart attack, following severe lung injury possibly attributed to his daily vape use.
The patient suffering from severe chest pain, difficulty breathing and experienced a heart attack caused by blockages in his two major arteries was admitted to a hospital.
Fernandez said the patient developed a serious lung condition known as e-cigarette or vaping-use associated lung injury (EVALI).
Further examination showed severe pneumonia-like symptoms in the lungs, but no infections were detected.
The doctors performed an emergency procedure to open the blocked heart artery, but the patient’s condition worsened.
The patient developed respiratory failure, requiring mechanical ventilation, and passed away three days after admission.
The case report underscores the dangers brought about by e-cigarettes and vape products especially among young people, even as international and local studies show that their use can cause significant harm to multiple body systems, leading to conditions like heart attacks and EVALI.
Informed decisions needed
Herbosa urged the youth to make informed decisions to protect their health.
“The DOH remains committed to educating the public about the dangers of vaping, and advocating for stricter regulations on these harmful products,” he said.
In March, Herbosa, asked the help of the Philippine National Police to ensure that the specific provision of the Republic Act (RA) 11900 relating to the prohibition of selling vapes to people below 18 years old is strictly implemented.
RA 11900, which was enacted into law in 2022, aims to regulate the importation, sale, packaging, distribution, use, and communication of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products and novel tobacco products which includes e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
The Department of Education has intensified its efforts to end vaping within school premises. It also prohibited the selling and promotion of the product within a school's 100-meter radius. (PNA)
