Sunday 14 July 2013

Citing danger, PMA urges e-cigarettes ban

 

Manila, Philippines -- The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) yesterday asked President Benigno S. Aquino III to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in the Philippines amid the recent warning issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the so-called nicotine replacement therapy given by e-cigs has been proven unsafe for humans.
PMA President Dr. Leo Olarte urged the President to direct Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel ''Mar'' Roxas II to seriously study the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory 2013-008 and FDA Advisory 2013-015 and finally ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in the Philippines.
He cited the warning issued by WHO Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) and Mental Health Cluster Assistant Director General Ala Alwan that electronic cigarettes are not considered as legitimate therapy to stop smoking addiction.
''We urgently appeal to President Benigno S. Aquino III and his government to immediately address this new but clear and present danger of electronic cigarettes to the health of the nation most especially our children. Our young ones can easily be enticed and duped into smoking by these novelty devices,'' Olarte said in a statement.
According to Olarte, the use of e-cigs is not an ''alternative lifestyle'' as claimed by its proponents and promoters but is actually a new and an ''alternative vice'' which should not be taught to the public in general and children in particular.
Alwan earlier stated that ''e-cigs marketers and propagandists should immediately remove from their advertisements and websites any suggestion that the WHO considers electronic cigarettes to be safe and an effective smoking cessation aid because this is untrue.''
Olarte, who is both a medical doctor and a practicing lawyer, asked the Aquino administration to act on this crucial issue and post a ban on its sale because it is contrary to the intent and provisions of the law (Republic Act 9211) which was crafted to protect everybody, most specifically the youth, from nicotine addiction and myriad of ailments like chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases that can kill.
 

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