Smoke-Free Baguio City

02/01/2026

MANILA, Philippines — Police confiscated P735,000 worth of ci******es in Zamboanga del Sur for allegedly lacking the required Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Sunday.

Authorities seized 21 master cases of ci******es in an operation late Wednesday night in Purok Lapu-Lapu, Barangay White Beach, Pagadian City, the CIDG noted in a statement.

Read the entire article here:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2160396/cidg-seizes-p735000-in-unstamped-ci******es-arrests-suspect-in-zambo

Authorities seize P735,000 worth of ci******es allegedly lacking BIR tax stamps during an operation late Wednesday night, Dec. 24, 2025, in Purok Lapu-Lapu, Barangay White Beach, Pagadian City,

01/01/2026

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — Police seize P2.4 million worth of smuggled ci******es and arrested a man in a sting at Brooke’s Point in Palawan on Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Jovencio Badua Jr., Mimaropa police regional director, said operatives arrested a 50-year-old trader, identified only as Navi, after selling P40,000 worth of smuggled ci******es to a police agent in Barangay Calasaguin.

Police confiscated 109 master cases of foreign branded ci******es with a street value of P2,452,500.

Read the entire article here:
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2025/12/27/2496931/pnp-seizes-p24-million-smuggled-ci******es-palawan

Police seize P2.4 million worth of smuggled ci******es and arrested a man in a sting at Brooke’s Point in Palawan on Thursday.

31/12/2025

🎆✨ Happy New Year from Smoke-Free Baguio! ✨🎆

As we welcome the New Year, we celebrate Baguio City — a proudly smoke-free city and a place where health, clean air, and community well-being come first. 🌿🏔️

This new year is also a perfect time for fresh starts. For smokers and va**rs ready to quit, Baguio is the best place to begin your smoke-free journey — with supportive policies, accessible cessation services, and a community that cares. 🚭💙

Let 2026 be the year of healthier choices, smoke-free homes, and stronger families. Together, let’s continue building a city where everyone can breathe better and live better.

🎉 Here’s to a healthier, smoke-free New Year for all!

31/12/2025

CAVITE — Amid fireworks and revelry on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, operatives of the Bacoor Component City Police Station raided three men allegedly selling an illicit and dangerous to***co product known as “Thuoc Lao,” colloquially called “tuklaw,” or the so-called black cigarette.

Police apprehended three suspects, including a 19-year-old senior high school student, during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Poblacion, Bacoor City.

Authorities said the operation stemmed from an investigation into the cellphone of an earlier arrested drug suspect, where conversations were found regarding the sale of what they referred to as “tuks.”

Read the entire article here:
https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/26/-zombie-like-effects-police-seize-illicit-thuoc-lao-ci******es-in-bacoor-1521

Amid fireworks and revelry on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, operatives of the Bacoor Component City Police Station raided three men allegedly selling an illicit and dangerous to***co product known as “Thuoc Lao,” colloquially called “tuklaw,” or the so-called black cigarette.

30/12/2025

The term “popcorn lung” dates back to the early 2000s when several workers at a microwave popcorn factory developed lung problems after inhaling a chemical called diacetyl – the same ingredient used to give popcorn its rich, buttery taste.

Diacetyl, or 2,3-butanedione, is a flavouring agent that becomes a toxic inhalant when aerosolised. It causes inflammation and scarring in the bronchioles (the smallest branches of the lungs), making it increasingly difficult for air to move through. The result: permanent, often disabling lung damage.

Read the entire article here:
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/popcorn-lung-va**ng-symptoms-diacetyl-b2890665.html

Fruity v**e flavours come with a chemical cost

29/12/2025

JAKARTA - The phenomenon of children who know and even use v**e is no longer a marginal story. In recent years, online media and conversations on social media have often featured surprising facts, elementary school children are familiar with e-ci******es.

Vapes come with attractive designs, sweet aromas, and popular narratives as products that are "safer" than conventional ci******es. This is where the problem begins when va**ng is no longer seen as an individual behavior, but has evolved into a children's health crisis triggered by the failure to effectively convey health risks.

Read the entire article here:
https://voi.id/en/news/546732

The phenomenon of children who know and even use v**e is no longer a marginal story. In recent years, online media and conversations on social media have often featured surprising facts, elementary school children are already familiar with e-ci******es.

26/12/2025

📢 WE’RE HIRING! Join the Smoke-Free Baguio Task Force 🚭

The Smoke-Free Baguio Task Force is looking for committed and motivated individuals to help advance our advocacy for a healthier, smoke-free city. If you are genuinely passionate about public health, community engagement, and smoke-free advocacy, we encourage you to apply!

📩 How to Apply:
Interested applicants may submit their Personal Data Sheet and Application letter to the Administrative Division at Room 202, 2nd Floor, Health Services Office, Teodora Alonzo, Baguio City

Note: Applications submitted digitally will not be entertained.
Deadline of submission is on January 9, 2026.

Be part of meaningful work that protects lives and promotes clean air for all. 🌿
Join us and help build a Smoke-Free Baguio!

26/12/2025

THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires all establishments selling Vaporized Ni****ne and Non-Ni****ne Products (VNNPs) and Novel To***co Products (NTPs) to secure their respective Licenses to Operate (LTOs).

Based on Advisory 2025-1487, the FDA said business establishments that offer VNNPs and NTPs with medicinal and therapeutic claims are now required to secure licenses from the attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH).

"All manufacturers, traders, distributors as importers/exporters/wholesalers, and retailers of VNNPs and NTPs with medicinal or therapeutic claims shall (apply for a license) as pharmaceutical establishments," it said.

Read the entire article here:
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/fda-requires-licenses-for-stores-selling-v**es-with-health-claims

THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires all establishments selling Vaporized Ni****ne and Non-Ni****ne Products (VNNPs) and Novel To***co Products (

25/12/2025

Ni****ne is toxic to the heart and blood vessels, regardless of whether it is consumed via a v**e, a pouch, a sh**ha or a cigarette, according to an expert consensus report published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Thursday). The report brings together the results of the entire literature in the field and is the first to consider the harms of all ni****ne products, rather than smoking only.

The report highlights a dramatic rise in the use of v**es, heated to***co and ni****ne pouches, particularly among adolescents and young adults, with evidence that three-quarters of young adult va**rs have never smoked before.

Read the entire article here:
https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/v**es-pouches-heated-to***co-sh**ha-ci******es-ni****ne-in-all-forms-is-tox #

Your access to the latest cardiovascular news, science, tools and resources.

24/12/2025

🎄✨ Merry Christmas from Smoke-Free Baguio!✨🎄

This Christmas season, may our homes and communities be filled with warmth, joy, and clean, healthy air. As we gather with family and loved ones, let us give the gift that truly matters — a smoke-free environment that protects everyone, especially our children and elders.

Thank you for standing with us in building a healthier, safer, and more caring Baguio. May your holidays be peaceful, meaningful, and full of hope. 💙💛

🎁🌿 A smoke-free Baguio is a gift we can all share.

24/12/2025

DSA RENEWAL - Two accommodation establishments with Approved Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) were reinspected for renewal by the Smoke-Free Task Force last Wednesday, December 17.

Representatives of the City Buildings and Architecture Office, Baguio City Police Office, Environmental Health and Sanitation Division, Public Information Office, Public Order and Safety Division, and the Task Force Secretariat conducted the DSA inspection.

DSA permits are valid for one year, expiring on December 31.

✍️: JD Rivera
📸: JD Rivera

24/12/2025

To***co smoking has been popular for more than four centuries. People used to smoke everywhere — on planes, in public transport, in hospitals — you name it. Ci**rs were once a sign of wealth; later, smoking became associated with financial troubles and social decline. For young people, it was a way to rebel. Cinema romanticised smoking, portraying it as cool and glamorous.

“Va**ng,” by contrast, is a relatively recent term, emerging in the 1980s and gaining widespread use only over the past decade. With over 100 million va**rs around the world today, including at least 15 million children, questions have arisen about how harmful it actually is — not only for our health, but also for the environment. However, because va**ng is still a relatively new phenomenon, research on its long-term effects remains limited.

Read the entire article here:
https://impakter.com/how-bad-is-va**ng-for-environment/

Disposable v**es pose serious environmental and health risks, from lithium fires and e-waste to plastic pollution.