(Illustrative photo: Reuters) Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine police on November 20 began enforcing a ban imposed by President Rodrigo Duterte on the use of electronic cigarettes in public spaces.
In a statement, acting national police chief of the Philippines Lieutenant-General Archie Gamboa said law enforcers have been ordered to arrest those "vaping" in public.
Addressing a press conference on November 19, the Philippine President said the use and importation of e-cigarettes would be banned, but did not provide a precise timeline.
The push to ban e-cigarettes in the Philippines gathered steam after health authorities confirmed that a 16-year-old girl last month showed signs of a lung injury related to her heavy use of e-cigarettes for six months.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 24 percent of Filipino adults are daily smokers. Before Duterte’s presidency, the Philippines already had a ban on tobacco advertising, as well as a law that requires graphic images of smoking health hazards to be printed on cigarette packaging.
In a report unveiled in July, the WHO warned that e-cigarettes are toxic and have not proven to be effective at helping smokers quit.
In September, India became the latest country to ban the import, sale, production and advertising of e-cigarettes, citing in particular concerns about its youth.
The devices are already banned in several places such as Brazil, Singapore, Thailand and some states of the US./.
In a statement, acting national police chief of the Philippines Lieutenant-General Archie Gamboa said law enforcers have been ordered to arrest those "vaping" in public.
Addressing a press conference on November 19, the Philippine President said the use and importation of e-cigarettes would be banned, but did not provide a precise timeline.
The push to ban e-cigarettes in the Philippines gathered steam after health authorities confirmed that a 16-year-old girl last month showed signs of a lung injury related to her heavy use of e-cigarettes for six months.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 24 percent of Filipino adults are daily smokers. Before Duterte’s presidency, the Philippines already had a ban on tobacco advertising, as well as a law that requires graphic images of smoking health hazards to be printed on cigarette packaging.
In a report unveiled in July, the WHO warned that e-cigarettes are toxic and have not proven to be effective at helping smokers quit.
In September, India became the latest country to ban the import, sale, production and advertising of e-cigarettes, citing in particular concerns about its youth.
The devices are already banned in several places such as Brazil, Singapore, Thailand and some states of the US./.
VNA
