The Smoke and Mirrors of Vapewashing
Growing up in a Filipino household where smoking was commonplace, I witnessed tobacco's destructive path early. My childhood memories include buying cigarette packs for my father from the neighborhood sari-sari store. The graphic images of tobacco-ravaged bodies displayed at my mother's rural health center left permanent mental scars that made smoking's dangers undeniable to me.
Despite my personal rejection of smoking, I watched other children in our barangay still fall into the habit. Over decades, I observed how public health campaigns, higher taxes, and advocacy gradually made cigarette smoking less appealing, particularly among Filipino youth. The iconic "Yosi Kadiri" campaign of the 1990s played a crucial role in transforming smoking into a socially unacceptable behavior.
The New Face of Addiction
Now, the tobacco industry has resurfaced with a dangerous new strategy. Through sleek vapes featuring candy flavors and gadget-like designs, they're marketing not harmful, addictive products but symbols of freedom, creativity, and self-expression. This practice, termed "vapewashing," effectively rebrands addiction as identity, borrowing from the concept of "greenwashing" where corporations use deceptive marketing to appear socially responsible.
The tobacco industry has cleverly repackaged its traditional business model using the language of innovation and wellness. They speak of a "smoke-free future" while simultaneously targeting youth with flavored vapes and heated tobacco products. This subtle manipulation positions vaping as a choice and symbol of independence, making young Filipinos believe they're rejecting old smoking norms when they're actually embracing the same addiction in a new form.
Government Complicity and Weak Regulations
What makes this deception particularly dangerous is the government's complicity in enabling it. In the Philippines, tobacco companies receive public platforms to promote their so-called "smoke-free future," despite continuing to profit from traditional cigarette sales.
The passage of Republic Act 11900 further legitimized this narrative by transferring regulatory authority from the Department of Health to the Department of Trade and Industry. This critical move frames vaping as a consumer issue rather than a public health threat, creating a regulatory environment that favors industry growth over public protection.
The same companies that once denied smoking dangers now market vapes as "harm reduction tools" and the "future of smoking." Yet data reveals that vaping has risen fastest among teenagers who never smoked originally. Globally and in the Philippines, one in four adolescents has already tried e-cigarettes.
Flavored products like mango and cotton candy are clearly designed to attract curious youth rather than help established smokers quit. These products still contain nicotine and dozens of toxic chemicals that damage lungs and cardiovascular systems. The first recorded vape-related death in the Philippines and hundreds of lung injury cases (Evali) demonstrate that vaping remains harmful.
The Path Forward: Protection Over Profit
While some Southeast Asian nations have banned vapes or tightened regulations, enforcement in the Philippines remains inconsistent. RA 11900 has faced criticism for weakening existing protections. Brands continue collaborating with celebrities and influencers despite legal prohibitions, health warnings are often absent, and age verification remains weak. A 16-year-old can easily order flavored vapes online without proper ID verification.
Parents, educators, policymakers, and young people must recognize vapewashing for what it truly represents: an attempt to lure new customers into a deadly addiction cycle. Strict enforcement of laws banning celebrity endorsements and youth-targeted advertising is crucial. Loopholes in online sales and flavor regulation must be closed immediately.
Most importantly, the government must sever ties with this deadly industry instead of providing it platforms. Counter-marketing campaigns must expose vapewashing as the repackaging of addiction. Youth-led movements like "TobaccOFF NOW!" are essential in pushing back against normalization and demanding accountability.
As we observe Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we must remember our body's natural instinct to expel smoke or vapor. Addiction isn't autonomy—it represents the loss of freedom, cleverly disguised as choice. Vapewashing teaches young people to see submission as liberation. We must ensure they see through the smoke and mirrors before another generation falls prey to this repackaged addiction.
