MARCH 1, 2026 — Health Secretary Ted Herbosa didn’t hold back, firing off a blunt warning to the public: “My personal stand is to ban vape, because it is poison. I am the secretary of health so why will I give poison to the Filipinos and the youth?”

Herbosa is pushing for a total ban on vape products, pointing to illnesses like EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury) and “popcorn lungs” as proof that vaping isn’t the “safer” alternative many believe it to be. 

“It (vape) is not less harmful. I see it to be more harmful … these dangerous illnesses such as EVALI,” he explained.

He warned that vaping has led to cases of lungs turning black, permanent damage, and new illnesses that weren’t seen before e-cigarettes became popular. For him, the math is simple: vape equals poison, and poison has no place in the hands of Filipino youth.

The Philippines is one of only three countries in Southeast Asia — alongside Indonesia and Malaysia — that still allows vape products. Singapore already banned them, aiming for a “smoke-free generation.” 

Herbosa himself admitted, “Singapore overtook us. Imagine that the kids will never be exposed to cigarettes, never be exposed to vapes.”

The impact of a total ban would be massive. Vape shops, online sellers, and the booming flavored vape market would take a hit. But for parents, teachers, and health advocates, this could be the long-awaited move to protect kids from addiction dressed up as lifestyle.

The question now is whether we are ready to accept a ban that could save lives but shake up habits and businesses.

Are we brave enough to clear the smoke and choose health over hype? Are we willing to trade the sweet flavors of vape clouds for the bitter truth of protecting the next generation?

(Image: Philippine News Agency)