Public Hearing On E-Cigarette: DoH-FDA

Recently the WHO or World Health Organization urges the Philippine Government to regulate the sales of Electronic Cigarettes or e-cigars, for it has no enough evidence that it is safe to use and could help people to quit using the real cigarettes. 

The Department of Health (DoH), in partnership with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), invites all stakeholders to attend the public hearing on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 From 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Audio-Visual Room, 3rd Floor, Annex Building, FDA, Civic Drive, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

The purpose of the hearing is to discuss the issues on the safety and regulation of e-cigarette in the country(Philippines). The DoH-FDA would like to receive written views and positions from consumer groups, organizations, academe, and local government units.

Kindly address your letters to Dr. Kenneth Y. Hartigan-Go, Acting Director General, Food and Drug Administration, Civic Drive, Alabang, Muntinlupa City 17181. All comments can also be emailed to info@fda.gov.ph using the following format as the Subject: "E-Cig Comments: Family Name/Company/Organization". Comments and views that will be received, either written or verbally by a recorder, will become part of the official public record in formulating the regulations on e-cigarette.

There will be limited seats, therefore online registration is encouraged. You may email e-nroll@fda.gov.ph using the following format:

Subject: E-CIGARETTE PUBLIC HEARING

Body of Email: Family Name, First Name MI./ Company/ Organization

You may also call the FDA Policy and Planning Office (PPO) at telephone number (632)857-1978. A confirmation slip will be sent as reply. The PPO will start accepting registration until July 23, 2013 at 5:30pm. 

fda.gov.ph

Largest Human NO SMOKING Sign

Image from ABS-CBNnews.com

Image from Philstar

Over 13,000 People form a human 'No Smoking' sign at the Bicol University grounds in Legazpi City on Friday, June 28. The city is attempting to set a Guinness World Record for the biggest "no smoking" human logo.

Wearing red,white and black, they form the Largest NO SMOKING sign, the event lasted for about 5 hours to complete.

The “no smoking” sign was formed by government employees, soldiers, police, members of academe, students, and volunteers. 6,000 participants were assigned to form the red portion of the sign, another 6,000 for the white portion and 1,000 for the black section. - Joseph Espiritu, assistant director for operations of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bicol.

Philippines Regulate the Sale of E-Cigarettes

July 4- The Word Health Organization (WHO), through the Western Pacific Office urged the Philippine Government to regulate the sale of E-cigars or Electronic Cigarettes last July 2-Tuesday. In some foreign countries where people are patronizing the e-cigarette for the few months but still ending up using the real cigarettes. 

"There was no proof that the use of electronic cigarettes was safe and that it could help people kick the habit of smoking." - Dr Susan Mercado, Regional Adviser in Health Promotion, WHO-Western Pacific office. 

The Department of Health (DoH) warns the public of using the e-cigars, that it is not advisable for those people who wants to stop smoking. 

“Electronic cigarettes are not advisable since you don’t kick the habit. You can easily go back to smoking,” said the DOH consultant-Anthony Leachon.

To date, there are still no strong evidence proving that electronic cigarettes will help a person in quitting smoking. 

What are Electronic Cigarettes (Wikipedia)

Known as an e-cigarette, personal vaporiser or PV, is an electronic inhaler that vaporises a liquid solution into an aerosol mist, simulating the act of tobacco smoking. Electronic cigarettes are no longer marketed as smoking cessation aids or tobacco replacement in most countries. There may be similarities between conventional and some electronic cigarettes in the physical design and the nicotine release, which may approximate the same amount of nicotine as a conventional cigarette. There are many electronic cigarettes that do not resemble conventional cigarettes at all.

also see Effects of Smoking

Smoking kills

 do you still want to continue smoking? ...

 . . .think again.. 

According to recent studies, every year hundreds of thousands of people all over the globe die from medical complications caused by smoking. Aside from the stench it leaves on one's clothes, breath, and hair, it also has other complications. Here are some of the different effects of smoking:

Immediate effects upon smoking a cigarette stick:

1. Raises a person's blood pressure and heart rate.
2. Decreases a person's blood flow to body extremities like the fingers and toes.
3. The brain and the nervous system is stimulated for a short time and then reduced.
4. Dizziness.
5. Nausea.
6. Watery eyes.
7. Hyper acidity.
8. Weakened sense of taste and smell.
9. Loss of appetite.
10. Shortness of breath.
11. Chronic coughing.
12. Reduced overall fitness.
13. Yellowish stain on the smoker's fingers and teeth.
14. Smokers experience more coughs and colds as compared to non-smokers.
15. Difficulty recovering from minor illnesses.
16. Impotence for men, infertility for women.
17. Facial wrinkles appear at an early age, making them look older than non-smokers of the same age.