Health public policies being implemented regarding cigarette-smoke free zones such as the Executive Order No. 26 predominantly aim to minimize the exposure of the general public to secondhand smoke, especially the immunocompromised, children, adolescents, pregnant women, and elderly by prohibiting smoking in public and enclosed spaces such as the schools, church, workplaces, outdoor spaces, sidewalks, etc.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this health policy offers a wide range of advantages. This would serve to (1) protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke; (2) encourage smoking cessation; (3) prevent initiation of tobacco use among minors, and (4) lower morbidity and mortality related to tobacco. However, as a result of being unable to smoke openly in public areas, people may choose to smoke in their cars and houses instead, which would increase the secondhand smoke exposure of other family members and potentially increase the influence of parental smoking. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence to support this claim.
As I have observed in the province of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, tobacco users are less likely to be seen smoking in enclosed public areas and non-smoking places, but I always see teenagers smoking e-cigarettes everywhere. Since local officials do not forbid or punish them from doing so, I always see someone vaping whenever I am watching a basketball game. Additionally, minors are freely permitted to purchase their own e-cigarettes and juices from vape shops and street vendors.
With the increasing number of youths who are now tobacco smokers and an estimate of more than 8 million tobacco-related fatalities per year, I believe that health policies like these should be strictly enforced and enhanced in order to fully appreciate the benefits they can bring to everyone's health.
References:
Anyanwu, P. E., Craig, P., Katikireddi, S. V., & Green, M. J. (2018). Impacts of smoke-free public places legislation on inequalities in youth smoking uptake: study protocol for a secondary analysis of UK survey data. BMJ Journals. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022490
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Smokefree policies reduce smoking. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/protection/reduce_smoking/index.htm
Nicolas & Dela Vega Law Offices. (n.d.). The Philippines’ nationwide smoking ban under Executive Order No. 26: Separating fact from fiction. https://ndvlaw.com/the-philippines-nationwide-smoking-ban-under-executive-order-no-26-separating-fact-from-fiction/
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Tobacco. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco