The Philippines urged by health experts to follow the regional trend of banning vaping

A Philippine public health advocacy organization, HealthJustice Philippines, has urged the Philippine government to follow the example of six ASEAN countries that have already banned vaping products: Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. This appeal was made on the 25thThe anniversary of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) was celebrated in Bangkok, Thailand, at an event dedicated to regional advances in tobacco control. According to HealthJustice, these measures demonstrate a stronger regulatory commitment to protecting public health, particularly that of young people.[1]. However, this implies combating the powerful influence of the industry on Philippine health policies, and strictly enforcing anti-vaping measures so that they do not remain mere announcements.

Vaping and its associated problems are at the center of health concerns in the Philippines.

This appeal was launched at the Tobacco Control Legacies event, where government representatives, diplomats, and civil society activists gathered to celebrate regional progress in tobacco control and pay tribute to the committed actors of these public policies. In November 2025, The Ministry of Health itself had deemed the ban on electronic cigarettes necessary..

HealthJustice President Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza stated that the Philippines has much to learn from the policies of its regional neighbors. She emphasized the need to prevent further cases of vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI), particularly among young people.

The organization states that Southeast Asia has become the third largest vaping market in the world. In the Philippines, more than 14% of students aged 13 to 15 reportedly use e-cigarettes.

The country also recorded its first EVALI-related death in 2024, involving a 22-year-old man.

Furthermore, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Administration Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) has issued a warning regarding the illegal circulation of electronic cigarettes mixed with marijuana oil, originating from neighboring Asian countries where cannabis consumption is legal or lightly regulated.[2].

The lack of consistent regional regulation of vaping is therefore problematic, as it facilitates access for young people and non-smokers.

These health experts describe extreme industry interference and insufficient measures.

HealthJustice relied on the 2025 Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index, a global survey of government implementation of safeguards against tobacco industry interference, which also markets a large proportion of vaping products. The Philippines is a Party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and this obligation to protect is enshrined in the treaty, along with practical provisions for its implementation. This study was initiated in 2014 by SEATCA and now covers approximately 100 countries.[3].

In 2010, the Philippines became the first country in the world to adopt provisions aimed at transposing Article 5.3 into its domestic law.

However, the NGO has reported in recent years an intensification of tobacco industry interference in public policy development in the Philippines and a significant erosion of protections against the tobacco lobby. Along with China, the Philippines has thus become one of the countries where the tobacco industry exerts the most influence on public health policy development.

For example, in April 2024, the First Lady and the Secretary of Agriculture presided over the inauguration of the Philip Morris International (PMI) manufacturing plant and its Philippine subsidiary, PMFTC. In March 2025, the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development accepted a donation of four mobile laboratories from PMI for "social welfare and disaster response operations" as part of the First Lady's "Lab for All" program. The handover of the mobile laboratories took place at the Presidential Palace, in the presence of the First Lady and the Ministers of Health and Social Affairs. The First Lady received a symbolic key from the CEO of PMI, to the applause of the ministers.

In July 2025, public health organizations, parliamentarians, and civil society actors expressed serious concerns about the appointment of Dave Gomez, a former Philip Morris executive, to head the presidential communications office. This decision raised major questions about the independence of government communication, particularly on public health issues, including the fight against tobacco.

In light of the increasing number of these incidents, the organization calls for the adoption of public health policies independent of any industrial influence. It particularly criticizes manufacturers' strategies regarding their so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and the marketing of products targeting young people.

In this context, the TobaccOFF NOW! Movement welcomed the proposal from the Department of Trade and Industry to restrict certain vaping products deemed harmful: the department has indeed published a draft administrative order providing for a ban on open pods and e-liquids, and has launched a consultation with stakeholders and consumers.

However, TobaccOFF NOW! believes that a total ban on all vaping products and new tobacco and nicotine products would be necessary to ensure effective protection of public health.

The call made by civil society NGOs is therefore clearly for a complete ban on these products, similar to what is happening in a growing number of countries in the region.

In general, a growing number of countries are imposing major restrictions on these products due to the increase in their consumption, particularly among young people, and a better understanding of their health effects. According to the latest available estimates, at least 46 countries worldwide have completely banned the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes, 82 countries regulate their sale and distribution, and 43 countries regulate the concentration, volume, or quality of nicotine or other ingredients present in e-liquids.[4].

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[1]Jel Santos, Philippines urged to follow 6 ASEAN nations in banning vapes, Manila Bulletin, published February 16, 2026, accessed February 18, 2026

[2]Airam Limatog, PDEA-7 cautions against spread of marijuana-laced vapes, Cebu Daily News, Published on February 15, 2026, accessed on February 18, 2026

[3]Assunta M., Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2025, Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC), published in November 2025, accessed on February 18, 2026

[4]Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, E-CIGARETTE BAN & REGULATION: Global Status as of May 2025, Published on June 4, 2025, accessed on December 16, 2025

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