• 7 hours ago
Unang Balita is the news segment of GMA Network's daily morning program, Unang Hirit. It's anchored by Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Ivan Mayrina, and Mariz Umali, and airs on GMA-7 Mondays to Fridays at 5:30 AM (PHL Time). For more videos from Unang Balita, visit http://www.gmanetwork.com/unangbalita.

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Transcript
00:00A group is calling for help from the Congress to solve the problem of youths using vape.
00:06One of the ways that House Committee on Ways and Means is trying to increase the use of vape products.
00:11First news, Jonathan Andal.
00:17Nick is only 18 years old.
00:19He doesn't have a real name.
00:20When he started using vape, he is now 22 years old.
00:24He continues to use vape even though it's prohibited in his house.
00:27He agreed to be interviewed on the condition that his face will not be shown.
00:31He is now addicted.
00:33I am aware that he is addicted.
00:36When you use vape, you feel calm.
00:40When I buy vape, there are some who are still in elementary school.
00:47They are using vape. I was surprised because they still have money.
00:53Vape is now an epidemic among youths.
00:57A group called Child Rights Network called for help from the Congress
01:02to solve the problem of youths using vape.
01:07We are facing a vaping epidemic and Congress has the moral obligation to address this.
01:12We call on Congress to strengthen existing measures
01:17to make tobacco products and electronic smoking devices less accessible to young people.
01:22E-cigarettes don't help people quit.
01:24In fact, it's encouraging young people to get into the habit of smoking.
01:28Based on the data of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute,
01:32presented by Representative Stella Kimbo,
01:34there were five cases of youths using vape between the ages of 10 and 19 in 2023 compared to 2021.
01:43However, the number of youths using vape decreased.
01:46It means that it's possible that some of the former smokers have switched to vaping.
01:50The chairman of the committee, Congressman Joey Salceda,
01:53wants to increase the cost of vaping by 8 pesos per pod
01:57so that the youths here won't be deceived.
02:00Increase the cost of vaping, especially in the pod,
02:03because it's really cheap compared to Yossi.
02:07One pack of cigarettes costs 200 pesos,
02:11while the vape juice used by Nick is 350 pesos,
02:15but it has been lasting for almost two months.
02:19Congresswoman Stella Kimbo wants to equalize the syntax of Yossi and vape.
02:24The FNRI data shows that even though there are more smokers using vape
02:29and the production of local tobacco is increasing,
02:31the BIR collection here has decreased in terms of excise or syntax.
02:36What I think we should do is not a moratorium,
02:44but a fair and equitable way of producing cigarettes,
02:48heated tobacco and vape products.
02:52The health advocate from UP College of Medicine wants to give a prescription
02:57for the purchase of vape so that it's limited to smokers only.
03:01The effect of vape is very different from Yossi compared to the smokers.
03:08We feel that for consideration in the House should be a bill
03:13restricting the use of vape to smokers,
03:17probably under prescription.
03:21Because when it is used by our non-smokers,
03:25they are at higher risk for smoking.
03:27When non-smokers vape,
03:30there is a fourfold increase in the risk
03:34that they will smoke manufactured cigarettes in the future.
03:39In the next hearing of the committee,
03:41the makers and sellers of vape will be called.
03:44This is the first news.
03:45Jonathan Andal for GMA Integrated News.
04:04.

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