New Pinoy smokers hit 9.5M from 2021 to 2023
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian and various health advocates have expressed alarm over the information that the country gained 9.5 million new smokers age 10 and above between 2021 and 2023.
Gatchalian disclosed the data during the inquiry conducted on Wednesday by his committee on ways and means on the rising incidents of illicit trade on excisable products, and importation of illegal vapes.
Gatchalian’s estimates, based on his office’s study of various government data, including the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), showed that of the 9.5 million new smokers, around one million were adolescents. Some 1.1 million of the 9.5 million also used illicit cigarettes.
“I was wondering why despite implementing excise tax on e-cigarettes as well as heated tobacco product, the number of new smokers increased particularly among the youth. That is why one of our recommendations is to increase the taxes on heated tobacco products as well as e-cigarettes, and also plug their leakage, make [all vapor products] unitary in terms of tax application,” Gatchalian said.
“We’re also proposing to increase the level of taxation for electronic nicotine products,” he added.
Citing data from the DOH-FNRI, Gatchalian said the country was winning against smoking prevalence from 2015 to 2021 when the prevalence dropped from 18 percent to 14 percent, respectively.
But there was apparently a reversal after 2021, when prevalence went up to 18.9 percent in 2023 from 14.6 percent in 2021.
Apart from an increase in smoking prevalence, Gatchalian noted the decline in excise tax revenue from tobacco, from P176.49 billion in 2021 to P134.91 billion in 2023.
“Illicit trade will not do us any good. Illicit traders do not pay taxes to government. At the same time it also promotes smoking among our constituents. Those illicit cigarettes are accessible to anyone, and any age,” he said.
“It is estimated that there will be 400,000 more new smokers, and if this is going to happen, it is estimated there will be 14,000 additional deaths,” said Dr. Maria Encarnita Limpin of Action on Smoking & Health Philippines.
