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Scientific studies support the use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches as significantly less harmful alternatives to traditional cigarettes according to presentations delivered by the Philippine Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates at a national summit. A meta-analysis encompassing roughly 300 peer-reviewed studies showed harmful constituents in vape aerosol fell by at least 90 percent relative to cigarette smoke with toxic potency reduced by 85 to 95 percent. A separate review of 20 studies indicated that biomarkers dropped by up to 97 percent among users of the alternative systems although four studies showed no improvement. The group drew on these results to argue that complete switching by adult smokers can deliver measurable risk reduction.
A scoping review of 670 publications conducted by CAPS and Partners Inc. reached two consistent findings that PHILTHRA highlighted during the October 1 gathering in Pasay City. Non-combustible nicotine products carry risks yet remain substantially less harmful than smoking. The advocates warned that uniform taxation at rates equivalent to those on combustible cigarettes would discourage smokers from making the switch to these lower-risk options. They urged policymakers to adopt a risk-based approach instead.
Dr. Lorenzo Mata, president of PHILTRA co-convenor Quit For Good, told summit participants that harm reduction policies can save lives while total bans risk fueling illicit markets and relapse. The coalition prepared a science-backed risk-based framework for submission to Congress and the Department of Finance as the government weighs proposals to ban certain products and align vape taxes with cigarette rates. A Manila Bulletin report on parallel harm reduction discussions noted that the 2022 Vape Law has supplied a regulatory structure enabling medical professionals to recommend alternatives with greater confidence.
International precedents featured in the summit presentations included data from the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs showing daily smoking prevalence had fallen to 3.7 percent by 2025 after broader availability of smoke-free alternatives. The same reports indicated that daily use of snus and nicotine pouches rose from 12 percent in 2007 to 19 percent in 2025 as cigarette consumption declined. In Japan the National Health and Nutrition Survey recorded adult cigarette smoking dropping from 19.6 percent in 2014 to 10.6 percent in 2022 following the introduction of heated tobacco products which accelerated the annual sales decline from 1.8 percent to 9.5 percent in the initial years after launch.
Medical experts at the event explained that the harm reduction principle focuses on minimising health damage for individuals who cannot or will not quit nicotine entirely by moving them away from combustion. The summit coincided with ongoing deliberations over potential bans and tax equalisation that participants said could reverse progress achieved under the existing Vape Law. PHILTHRA maintained that stronger enforcement against illicit trade must accompany any risk-proportionate regulations to protect both public health and legitimate markets.
The presentations underscored that education combined with appropriate taxation of combustibles and access to verified lower-risk products has produced tangible results in multiple jurisdictions. Summit organisers emphasised that such an evidence-driven framework would allow the Philippines to build on gains already realised through regulated nicotine alternatives. Data shared at the gathering aligned with earlier Manila Bulletin coverage that positioned the Vape Law as an effective model for balancing consumer access with youth protections.
