DOH eyes DepEd’s help to warn youth vs health risks of vaping

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said Thursday that he would ask the Department of Education (DepEd) to assist in educating the youth about the health risks of using e-cigarettes or vaping products.

At a press conference, Herbosa said he found out that adolescents do not just purchase vapes in physical stores, but also online, where sellers may not be able to determine their age.

With this, Herbosa said information dissemination must be intensified, lamenting that many doctors now get to see patients as young as 16 years old having damaged lungs or E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI).

“Magpapatulong ako sa DepEd to make sure na ma-educate ang mga bata na kapag ma-damage ang lungs mo sa vape, irreversible na ‘yan. For life na ‘yan. Kung dati nakakapag-jogging ka, nakakapag-cycling ka, baka hindi mo na magawa,” Herbosa said.  

(I will seek the help of DepEd to make sure that children will get educated that if their lungs get damaged by using vape, it is irreversible. That’s for life. If they used to be able to jog or cycle, they might not be able to do so in the future.)

Herbosa earlier asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to make sure that underage individuals do not have access to vapes. He said the operations plan for such is now being prepared.

The Health chief also asked parents to inform their own children about the health risks of vaping.

“My job is to protect the health of the Filipino children… If you’re 18 [years old], you decide, but I’m telling you that it’s bad for your lungs,” he said.

Herbosa has raised concern about the rising use of vape among the youth, stressing the health risks that nicotine poses to people, whether through tobacco or e-cigarettes. — VDV, GMA Integrated News