state of smoking and health in the Philippines

This page was last edited on: March 26, 2024 at 3:28 pm

smoking rate

18.9% (2022)

TOBACCO USE RATES

20.4% (2022)

Tobacco Use and Trends

In 2022, an estimated 16.4 million adults aged 15 years and older in the Philippines are tobacco products users. This positions the country as the 15^th globally and the 4^th in the WHO Western Pacific Region (WPR) in terms of the number of tobacco users.
In 2021, 1.5% of adults (2.3% male and 0.7% female) used smokeless tobacco products.
It is estimated that demand for cigarettes fell by 51% from 53.6 packs per capita in 2010 to 26.3 packs per capita in 2022.

YOUTH TOBACCO USE:

In 2019, 12.5% of youth (18% boys and 7% girls) aged between 13 years and 15 years old were current tobacco product users in the Philippines.
- Approximately 3% of youth (4.3% boys and 1.7% girls) were current smokeless tobacco users.

Nicotine Alternatives

In 2021, an estimated 2.1% of adults (3.6% male and 0.5% female) aged 15 years and over were current e-cigarette users.
In 2019, 14.1% of youth aged between 13 years and 15 years (21% boys and 8% girls) used electronic cigarettes users.

HEALTH AND ECONOMIC BURDEN FROM TOBACCO USE

Tobacco was the highest risk factor driving the most death and disability combined in 2019. It was estimated that tobacco use accounted for more than 112,112 deaths or 27% of all deaths in the Philippines.
- Of tobacco deaths, 96 thousand or 85% were attributed to smoking, 22 thousand or 19% were second-hand smoking.
The leading causes of most deaths in the Philippines include ischemic heart disease (IHD) ranking 1^st, Stroke ranking 2^nd and COPD ranking 9^th, where tobacco was responsible for:
- 30 thousand or 33% of total IHD deaths, 14 thousand or 83% of all COPD deaths, and 17 thousand or 27% of all Stroke deaths.
In 2019, tobacco use caused an estimated loss of 3.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) – 22% of total DALYs where tobacco accounts for loss of 886 thousand DALYs for IHD, 405 thousand DALYs for COPD and 532 thousand DALYs for Stroke.
In 2016, the economic cost of smoking-attributable diseases was estimated at 44.6 billion PHP (USD 858 million) for the Philippines.

REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT and Economics

Public Health Commitment

The Philippines ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2005.
Implemented Graphical Health Warnings (GHWs) on combustible cigarettes (CCs) in 2016.

Diverse Tobacco Market

Heated Tobacco Products HTPs and e-cigarettes with and without nicotine content are available. HTPs are classified as “smokeless tobacco”. Key points include:
- Product restrictions for e-cigarettes include a maximum nicotine concentration of 65mg/ml.
- GHWs and text health warnings cover 50% of both surfaces for HTPs and e-cigarettes with nicotine and text health warnings on e-cigarettes without nicotine.

Taxation Policy

The total tax rate on retail prices of a pack of cigarettes was 50.6% in 2022.
HTPs and e-cigarettes are subject to the following excise duties.
- In 2023 HTPs are subject to a specific excise at PHP32.5/pack of 20 sticks and will be increased by 5% annually starting in 2024.
- In 2023, e-cigarettes irrespective of nicotine content are taxed at PHP 60 (US$1.10) per 10ml. The rate will increase by 5% annually starting in 2024.
A differential excise tax policy is applied between CCs and HTPs. The excise value for HTPs is PHP32.50/pack, with its share (23.21%) of the retail price (PHP140/pack) in 2023. The excise value of CCs is PHP60.00/pack, with its share (37.5%) on retail selling price (PHP160.00/pack) in 2023.

Smoking and Advertising Bans

In 2022, for CCs, there are smoking bans slightly higher than the minimum requirement, with a moderate level of Additionally, advertising bans are slightly lower than comprehensive, but they are fully complied with. HTPs and e-cigarettes are banned in all public places with only a few exceptions and face certain advertising restrictions.

Age Restrictions

Tobacco products, e-cigs, and HTPs cannot be sold to individuals younger than 21 years of age.

Illicit Cigarette Trade

Estimated figures indicate that illicit cigarette trade in the Philippines remained consistently below 10% over the years with 2.6% in 2008, reaching to 13.6 % in 2020 and increasing to 15.2% in 2022.

TOBACCO PRODUCTION AND DIVERSIFICATION

In 2022, the Philippines produced approximately 47.7 thousand tons of unmanufactured tobacco. This accounts for about 0.8% of the global production of 5.8 million tons. In comparison to 2010, when the Philippines produced 40.5 thousand tons, there has been an increase of 17.8%.
The Philippines utilized an estimated 29.1 thousand hectares of land to harvest tobacco in 2022, which is a reduction of 2.2% compared to 2010 (FAOSTAT)

As research findings become available that are inclusive of additional gender identities, the Foundation will update the information presented.

[1] Source: World Health Organization: Non-age-standardized estimates of current tobacco use, tobacco smoking and cigarette smoking (Tobacco control: Monitor) and The World Bank’s Population Estimates and Projections.

Explanation: This estimate is calculated by applying the WHO’s estimated percentage of tobacco smokers for 2023 to the World Bank’s projected population figures for the same year for 15 years and older. These figures should be used with caution, as they do not account for the 95% credible interval around the estimate.