Philippine Health Department Teams Up with High School Students in Anti-Vaping Campaign

Key Points:

·Student-led initiative: A student council has been established in Pasig City High School in the Philippines to promote anti-smoking campaigns and address the phenomenon of peer smoking/e-cigarette use. 

·Health crisis data: Smoking is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the Philippines, with 88,169 deaths in 2021; youth e-cigarette usage surpasses traditional tobacco. 

·Multi-stakeholder collaboration: The government, in partnership with civil society organizations, is pushing for "smoke-free campuses" with students involved in enhancing the effectiveness of anti-smoking messaging. 

According to a report by the Philippine News Agency on July 1, the Philippine Department of Health has collaborated with its first student council focused on anti-e-cigarettes and anti-tobacco, taking a significant step in targeting the rapidly increasing tobacco and e-cigarette product use among students.

The Ministry of Health announced during a press conference on July 1st that a committee of young leaders from Eusebio High School in the city of Pasig organized a health education campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and using e-cigarettes.

The Ministry of Health states:

"The student leaders at Yusibio High School acknowledge that they have friends and classmates who smoke and use e-cigarettes. This is why they also want a voice at school to combat the deceptive marketing tactics of the tobacco industry."

According to the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), 809,677 adolescents (12.5%) are tobacco users.

This number includes people who use heated tobacco products, cigars, cigarettes, etc.

At the same time, 913,316 young people (14.1%) are using e-cigarettes.

The 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study points out that smoking remains one of the leading but preventable causes of death worldwide.

According to reports, a total of 88,169 people died from smoking in the year 2021 alone.

With the assistance of other government agencies, civil organizations, and youth, the Ministry of Health is working to promote the establishment of smoke-free schools in the country.

The report praises the actions taken by the student union and highlights how student participation in health promotion activities has increased the coverage and impact of anti-smoking messages.