BAYAN Muna Executive Vice President Carlos Zarate called on the Marcos administration and Congress to take swift action to address the growing vaping epidemic, which he says endangers the health of millions of Filipinos, particularly the youth.

Zarate criticized the government’s “deadly inaction” amid mounting evidence linking e-cigarette use to severe health issues, including the death of a 22-year-old Filipino—the country’s first recorded fatality from vaping-associated lung injury. The victim, a daily vape user, reportedly had no prior medical conditions.

“President Marcos Jr. has condemned smuggled vapes but remains silent on the legalized poison flooding our streets under Republic Act 11900, the Vape Law,” Zarate said. “His administration cannot ignore the reality of children as young as 13 being hospitalized with severe lung injuries and a 22-year-old’s death tied to vaping. Enough is enough.”

Recent cases include a 16-year-old from Cebu who suffered acute lung damage after using flavored vapes marketed as “safe.” Zarate described these incidents as part of an “unregulated, youth-targeted industry.”

Citing the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, Zarate noted that 14.1% of Filipino students aged 13 to 15 use e-cigarettes, surpassing traditional cigarette use in this age group. Department of Health data also shows youth vaping rates more than doubled from 11.7% in 2015 to 24.6% in 2019.

Enacted under the Duterte administration, the Vape Law lowered the legal age for vape purchases to 18 and shifted regulatory oversight from the Food and Drug Administration to the Department of Trade and Industry—a move critics argue prioritizes industry interests over public health.

“The Vape Law is a slow poison and a death warrant for our youth,” Zarate said. “We challenge President Marcos: will you side with Big Tobacco or the health of Filipino children? The time for empty speeches is over—act now.”

Zarate urged Congress to pass a Joint Resolution addressing the vaping crisis before the 19th Congress session ends and called on the President to issue an executive order classifying vapes as hazardous substances, triggering a temporary nationwide ban.