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Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte Wants To Arrest Everyone Who Vapes

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte Wants To Arrest Everyone Who Vapes

He also wants to ban the importation and sale of all e-cigarettes and vapes

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Vaping has become a very contentious topic in recent years, as more studies are undertaken regarding its potential effects in an attempt to examine whether the smoking alternative can be linked with causes of death.

E-cigarettes have been banned in New York and US President Donald Trump has been looking into whether that ban could be rolled out nationally.

Well, that sentiment has spread to the Philippines.

President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that he wants to get rid of the devices from his country.

PA

The president told reporters: "I'm now ordering all law enforcement agencies to arrest everybody vaping in public because, like smoking, you contaminate people.

"I will ban it, the use and the importation. I hope everybody is listening. Please relay this to them. You know why? Because it is toxic."

He hasn't elaborated on when this ban - on both the importation of e-cigarettes and ones that are already in the country - will take place, but he seems adamant that vaping will soon be a thing of the past.

Duterte has already introduced some pretty harsh anti-smoking laws in the Philippines, including banning people from lighting up in loads of public places like schools, petrol stations, hospitals, 'food preparation areas' and stairwells.

The decision was hailed as a major plus for public health when it was announced.

PA

Action on Smoking and Health Philippines executive director Maricar Limpin said: "This is a victory for us. This [order] highlights the need to protect the people from the harsh exposure to second hand smoke."

While there have been hundreds of vaping related illnesses reported in America, the Philippines has just experienced its first ever case.

A 16-year-old girl has been hospitalised after allegedly developing health issues as a result of vaping.

Thankfully for vapers in the Philippines, police won't actually be able to arrest them for now.

Authorities will have the power to confiscate the device and record the names of vapers, but there's no need to fear the handcuffs just yet.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, vaping, Health