Protecting Iloilo’s Youth in the Vaping Era

The numbers from the Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST) are a stark reminder of a persistent challenge: from January to June this year, 4,231 individuals were apprehended for violating the city’s anti-smoking ordinance.

While these figures demonstrate commendable diligence by our enforcers, they also reveal a troubling trend that requires a response beyond apprehension. The nature of nicotine addiction is evolving, and our strategy must evolve with it.

A significant portion of this challenge, represented by 663 vaping violators, is the insidious threat of electronic cigarettes. Vaping is the new smokescreen, clouding the judgment of a generation with clever marketing and a dangerous myth of being a “safer” alternative. This is the new front in the battle for our youth’s health, and it requires a renewed and wider collaboration among all sectors of Ilonggo society.

The World Health Organization is unequivocal: e-cigarettes are “undoubtedly harmful.” The aerosol they produce is not harmless water vapor; it contains highly addictive nicotine and toxic substances linked to cancer and cardiovascular disease. Yet, the perception that vaping is less dangerous persists, creating a gateway for young people who might never have touched a traditional cigarette. The 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that one in seven Filipino students aged 13 to 15 were already using e-cigarettes. This is not a nascent problem; it is a deeply rooted crisis.

The accessibility of flavored vapes – with tastes like cotton candy and fruit punch – is particularly alarming. These products are not designed for adults seeking to quit smoking; they are engineered to appeal to and hook a new, younger demographic. When ICAST Head Iñigo Garingalao calls this a “generational issue,” he is right. But it is not an issue created by this generation; it is a crisis inflicted upon them. Our young professionals and students are the targets of relentless online marketing on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, a battlefield where traditional “No Smoking” signs have no power.

This reality is compounded by national policy. Republic Act 11900, the Vaping Law, lowered the age of access from 21 to 18, placing more young people within legal reach of these addictive products. While the law exists, local-level enforcement and education become even more critical to shield them from a lifetime of dependency.

Mr. Garingalao correctly states that ICAST cannot solve this alone and that a “whole-of-government approach is needed.” We must take this call to heart and expand its meaning to a “whole-of-community” commitment. The existing collaborations are a strong foundation, but they must become more active and encompass a broader network of stakeholders.

This is not a task for law enforcement alone. The City Health Office must lead more aggressive, modern information campaigns that speak the language of the youth and debunk the myths of vaping on the digital platforms they frequent. The Department of Education and our universities must integrate robust, evidence-based anti-nicotine modules into their curriculum and wellness programs, empowering students with knowledge and peer support.

Our business community, from mall operators to sari-sari store owners, must be active partners in ensuring strict compliance with regulations, particularly the ban on sales to minors. And critically, this collaboration must extend into every Ilonggo home. Parents and guardians need to be equipped with the information to have frank conversations with their children about the real dangers concealed in those sleek, colorful vape pens.

The warning against complacency is timely. Our city’s awards for its anti-smoking ordinance are a testament to past success, but they should not become laurels to rest on. The fight has changed. Apprehension is a necessary tool for accountability, but it is not the ultimate solution.

The true measure of our success will not be the number of citation tickets issued, but a future where fewer young Ilonggos fall into the trap of nicotine addiction in the first place. Protecting the generation that stands “at peril, in danger” is a shared responsibility. It is a challenge we must meet together, with a united and unwavering resolve.