‘Use of heated tobacco products on the rise’

MANILA, Philippines —  Health advocates warned yesterday of a rise in the use of heated tobacco products (HTPs) amid efforts to ban the use of traditional and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in public and enclosed spaces. 

HTPs are not covered by an administrative order banning the use of e-cigarettes, according to Maricar Limpin, executive director of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP).

The order was issued by the Department of Health (DOH) on June 14.

HTPs are also not included in Executive Order 26 issued by President Duterte in 2017, prohibiting the use of conventional cigarettes in public places. 

“It’s happening in many countries, including Japan, where there is a rapid increase in the sale of HTPs. But make no mistake about it. It still releases the same chemicals as aerosols, including cancer-causing agents,” Limpin told The STAR over the weekend.

In its website, the World Health Organization defines HTPs as “tobacco products that produce aerosols containing nicotine and other chemicals that are inhaled by users through the mouth.” HTPs contain the highly addictive substance nicotine “contained in the tobacco,” making the product addictive.

The website showed that HTPs are different from e-cigarettes because while these heat tobacco to generate nicotine, the latter heat e-liquid.

Limpin said the country must have a separate regulation for HTPs because it is also a tobacco product.

For his part, Anthony Leachon, convenor of Sin Tax Coalition, the difference between HTPs and traditional cigarettes is that “the former is not ‘burned’ but ‘heated’ to create nicotine.”

Leachon echoed Limpin’s warning that tobacco companies would shift to HTPs in the “near future.”

“Thus the DOH should be able to anticipate the move of the tobacco industry and issue a separate AO to reduce smoking prevalence rate. There should be no preferential treatment for all types of tobacco products,” Leachin said.

He said aside from avoiding nicotine and other harmful ingredients, the government seeks to eradicate the bad behavior of smoking in public, which children and young adults might follow.