DOH Urges Public Figures to be Discreet in Smoking E-cigarette

The Department of Health (DOH) urged on Sunday public figures, like the one belonging to a leading sports league, to be careful in puffing e-cigarette before a national audience.

DOH spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee-Suy said it was regretful to see that Barangay Ginebra Kings Governor Alfrancis Chua had been caught by a nationwide audience with an e-cigarette during a recent event supposedly promoting healthy lifestyle.

“Sana huwag nang maulit ang ganyan, kasi pag may nakikitang naninigarilyo, malaking epekto nun, eh. Sabi nga nila, gagayahin ng mga bata ang mga nakikita sa mga matatanda. Kahit sabihin mong e-cigarette ‘yan, it is promoting the act of smoking. Sana maging discreet,” Dr. Lee-Suy added.

He admitted that the DOH was among those who were dismayed over the act of the PBA team official who was seen by national television audience puffing e-cigarette during a game.

He added that since the event is usually being watched by the youth who know basketball as a way to be fit and healthy, a sort of “confusion” may happen because that could influence the said sector to think also that smoking is not all bad.

“It is really like parang ine-encourage ‘yung act of smoking… Regardless if e-cigarette or actual cigarette,” Lee-Suy said, adding that the act itself is the opposite of a good example that should be set by a sports league like the PBA that is supposed to be advocating for a healthy lifestyle.

The DOH spokesperson said that what he is afraid of is that instead of preventing the young from smoking, they can be influenced the other way around because that incident seen on TV “can create an impression that there is no harm in smoking because a public figure does.”

He added that while it may be argued e-cigarettes are not really actually cigarettes containing “nicotine,” the idea and act itself of puffing is not appropriate for the children to see.

Last week, Chua was caught a couple of times smoking e-cigarettes during the timeout huddles of Barangay Ginebra team.

The incident immediately spurred adverse reactions over the social media and other health groups with many expressing disapproval of Chua’s action.

E-cigarette or e-cig is a battery-powered vaporizer which simulates the feeling of smoking, but without burning tobacco.

Instead, it uses a liquid solution composed of propylene glycol, flavors, and nicotine.

At present, there are no existing DOH rules yet on e-cig smoking in public places.

“Hindi pa sakop ang e-cigarettes sa laws natin, e. But nevertheless, hindi pa rin dapat. Hangga’t maaari naman talaga dapat healthy lifestyle,” said Lee Suy.

The DOH, as part of promoting healthy lifestyle, has been constantly reminding the public, especially the youngsters, not to engage in smoking due to its harmful effects that can lead to several lifestyle diseases that can lead to death.

As part of the campaign to prevent the young from smoking, the DOH will be coming out with graphic warnings on cigarettes to further prevent them from engaging in smoking habit.

In an advisory by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013, it noted how second-hand exposure to e-cigarette emission may lead to adverse health effects.

In the said advisory, it was mentioned that the levels of most harmful substances are lower in the e-cigarettes than in conventional cigarette smoke, but they do accumulate in indoor air.

“The substances emitted by e-cigarettes may be inhaled by non-users when used indoor,” said the FDA Advisory No. 2013-015. (PNA) SCS/LSJ/PJN