Keeping an open mind

The Philippines House of Representatives is urging that vaping be included in the country’s tobacco control strategy, according to a story by Jim McDonald at vaping360.com.

The legislative body has issued a resolution asking the health department to promote tobacco harm reduction.

The resolution, authored by Representatives Anthony Bravo and Jose Tejada, references the experience in the UK, where public health authorities have promoted vaping as a safer alternative for cigarette smokers.

McDonald said that, according to the Manila Standard, the lawmakers specifically cited the landmark reports from Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians.

He added that a resolution did not amount to a law and wasn’t binding on the regulators. It was a recommendation by the legislature that the department of health regulate vapes without banning them.

The Vapers Philippines president Peter Paul Dator reportedly told the Standard that his organization thanked the legislators for keeping an open mind to the growing body of scientific evidence supporting e-cigarettes as a significantly less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes. “We urge the [Department of Health] to do the same and help save lives,” he added.