Vaping attracts more users, study shows

By Bobby Q. Labalan

Sorsogon City --- Electronic cigarette, popularly known as vape, is gaining patronage among adults and older people but declining among adolescents, latest data published by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) showed.

In its 2025 Clinical and Health Survey which “assessed the prevalence of noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk factors in the general population, it listed smoking as the top behavioral risk factor chronic NCDs together with harmful alcohol use, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet.

Based on the data, the number of adolescents, aged 10 to 19 years old, who engaged in smoking, both manufactured cigarettes and vape, barely decreased last year at 4.5 percent compared to the 2023 figure at 4.8 percent. Bicol Region was fourth from the bottom with only 3.4 percent.

Vape smoking among adolescents nationwide went down to 30.3 percent last year compared to the 33.1 percent recorded in 2023 but the use of traditional or manufactured cigarettes increased from 56.6 percent in 2023 to 57.9 percent last year.

For the 20-59-year-old group, a minimal increase in number of smokers was noted from 24.4 percent in 2023 to 24.9 percent in 2025 with Bicol Region at 8th place with 24 percent, the FNRI survey showed.

Vape smokers among adults nationwide increased significantly from 5.9 percent in 2023 to 7.9 percent in 2025 resulting to a decrease in traditional cigarette smoking from 81.1 percent to 79.9 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of older persons aged 60 years old and above wo engaged in smoking did not move at 16.5 percent even with Bicol region at 7th with the least older person smokers at 15.1 percent.

FNRI reported that vape users among this age group slightly increaser from 0.3 percent to 0.5 percent while cigarette smokers decreased from 76.5 percent to 71.7 percent.

The survey noted that in all age groups, those that are in the poorest economic group registered the highest percentage of smokers while those at richest group consume the least tobacco.

The FNRI stressed that smoking is “both a physical addiction and a psychological habit. It can cause numerous health problems, such as lung diseases, heart diseases, and cancers”.

The survey result was presented during the National Nutrition Summit last June 17, 2026 at the Sheraton Manila Hotel together with other nutrition-related surveys including the anthropometric data, maternal, infant and young child health and food security.

To counter the trend, the Department of Health-Bicol had partnered with the local government of Legazpi City in combatting the smoking menace as it actively participated in the first-ever Legazpi City Smoke-free Congress held June 17, 2026 at the Legazpi City Expo Center.

The DOH is currently implementing its Smoking Cessation Program which helps smokers and vape users kick the habit and to prevent the youth from getting hooked into it.

Meanwhile, the Parents Against Vape, a non-government organization which campaigns against vape use, has yet to issue its statement on the latest smoking figures.