Youth group bats for higher vape taxes

Youth health advocates are pressing the government to sharply increase and standardize excise taxes on all electronic cigarettes and vaping products, saying higher prices could help prevent young Filipinos from becoming addicted to nicotine.

The Youth for Health Coalition backed the Department of Finance proposal to increase the excise tax on both salt nicotine and freebase nicotine vape products to ₱72.93 per milliliter.

Under the existing tax structure, freebase nicotine products are subject to a ₱6.95-per-milliliter excise tax, while salt nicotine products carry a much higher rate of ₱60.29 per milliliter.

The coalition said the tax gap between the two nicotine types should be eliminated to prevent consumers from simply shifting to cheaper alternatives. It argued that a uniform tax rate would make price-based substitution less attractive while supporting efforts to reduce nicotine consumption.

The group stressed that higher taxes should not be viewed as a penalty against existing vape users but as a public-health measure designed to discourage more Filipinos, particularly young people, from starting to vape.

The advocates expressed concern over the increasing presence of vaping products among elementary and high school students, which they attributed in part to marketing strategies that make the products attractive to younger consumers.

They cited products packaged in designs resembling milk tea drinks, stuffed toys, and keychains, as well as the sale of vape products through stores near schools and social media platforms.

The coalition warned that early exposure to nicotine could lead to addiction and potentially increase the likelihood of young users eventually turning to conventional cigarettes. It also pointed to serious health risks associated with vaping, including E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury and other respiratory illnesses.

The group said nicotine dependence can also affect students beyond their physical health by undermining concentration, academic performance and long-term productivity.

While maintaining its call for an eventual nationwide ban on vaping products, the Youth for Health Coalition urged Congress to act immediately on higher excise taxes and strengthen enforcement of existing regulations.

The coalition said a combination of higher prices, tighter controls and stronger enforcement is needed to make vaping less accessible to students and prevent a new generation of Filipinos from developing nicotine dependence.