Act vs drinking, smoking, vaping ‘epidemic’ among youth, poll bets told

MANILA, Philippines — Health experts and advocates urge the candidates of the upcoming midterm elections to support the call for further raising excise taxes on alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, and vapes, citing what they called to be a “growing epidemic” of the use of these dangerous products among Filipino youth.

The groups led by the Sin Tax Coalition threatened they would wage negative campaigning against candidates who would push for policies that are “against public health” and those who would support the interests of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and alcohol industries.

“The medical community is united in calling on our government to address this epidemic. We want the government to implement more laws, possibly to raise the taxes on these harmful products,” the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president, Dr. Hector Santos, said in a press conference at its head office in Quezon City on Wednesday.

“We also call on the candidates of the coming midterm elections to include health taxes as a cornerstone of their agenda and to improve delivery of health, health delivery laws,” he added.

According to AJ Montesa, economist and program officer for fiscal policy of public policy think tank Action for Economic Reforms (AER), they would campaign against candidates who are “pro-tobacco and pro-alcohol” and those backing what they called the Sin Tax Sabotage Law.

In February, lawmakers approved House Bill (HB) No. 11360. It seeks to implement an “odd-and-even” tax rate increase for cigarettes to curb the surge of illicit tobacco products in the country. The proposed tax rates are lower than the 5-percent annual tax increase under current laws.

“They are enemies of public health. And I think they do not deserve our votes or our support,” Montesa said.

“But we will make the effort to gain the support of as many candidates as possible to support our cause in raising the excise taxes of alcohol, cigarettes, and vapes,” he added.

Poor families most affected

Citing figures from the Expanded National Nutrition Survey, the coalition said the number of adolescents consuming harmful products has significantly increased from 2021 to 2023: The number of Filipino teens consuming alcohol monthly doubled from 1 million to 2 million, while those smoking grew threefold from 500,000 to 1.6 million.

Alcohol, tobacco, and vape continue to claim lives and inflict illnesses in communities, with the burden of these products falling disproportionately on the poorest Filipinos, who already lack access to healthcare and suffer poor health outcomes.

A total of 89,000 died in 2023 due to tobacco-related illnesses — equivalent to one death every six minutes. Meanwhile, alcohol consumption leads to at least 27,000 deaths a year, mostly through road crashes.

“These industries are making a profit at the expense of our children’s health,” said Dr. Riz Gonzales of the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS).

“Flavored vapes, social media promotions, and cheap alcohol products are specifically designed to hook the next generation. Without urgent government intervention, this crisis will spiral out of control," she added.

Parents Against Vape president Rebie Relato also urged her fellow parents and guardians to vote only for candidates concerned for the well-being of their children.

“No parent would want to see their child to be addicted to any vice. Should we allow these toxic and deadly products to be more accessible to us than public health services? We should choose leaders and policymakers who will give priority to the health of the Filipinos, especially our youth,” she said.

Economic cost: P1.o5 trillion yearly

According to AER, the ongoing epidemic demands immediate policy action.

“Failing to act now will cost us dearly in lost lives, lost productivity, and a collapsing healthcare system that will not keep up with the burden of preventable diseases,” Montesa said.

Based on their projection, allowing the health crisis to continue to be left unchecked would cost the country about P1.05 trillion a year, or 5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

The coalition plans to go around the candidates for them to sign their names to a “manifesto for healthier Philippines.”

If elected to the House of Representatives or the Senate, the candidates pledge to champion the increase in the excise taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and vape products “to make them less affordable and thereby discourage consumption, eventually reducing the harm they cause while raising essential revenue for health programs.”

Pro-health

According to Montesa, higher taxes are the “most effective” tool to combat the detrimental effects brought by these harmful products, as stressed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH).

The candidates should also commit to running on a pro-health platform — prioritizing public health as the focus of their legislative agenda.

They also vow to advocate for policies aligned with the WHO recommendations to mitigate the consumption of harmful products, including the following:

• stricter advertising restrictions for alcohol and tobacco products


• higher minimum drinking age


• improved enforcement against the illegal trade of these products

“Every day that we don’t act, another Filipino family loses a loved one while the tobacco, vape, and alcohol industries profit. We are tired of watching the devastating health effects of alcohol, tobacco, and vape on our youth with no action taken by our policymakers, ” the PMA president said.

“Let us be clear: This is a full-blown epidemic that demands immediate action from our leaders. We are calling on candidates to stand with our parents and youth now so our children don’t have to inherit a future of early, preventable deaths and illnesses,” Santos added.

(2025/03/06-14:31)