A LAWMAKER on Tuesday called for a recalibration of taxes on cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products as he warned of rising nicotine use among Filipino youth. Mr. Quimbo cited preliminary findings from the 2024 Global Youth Tobacco Survey showing that current tobacco use among Filipino youth increased to 16.2% in 2024 from 12.5% in 2019. Electronic cigarette use among young people also reached 26.7%The lawmaker warned that setting taxes too low could make nicotine products more accessible to young people, while excessively high rates could encourage illicit trade and undermine legitimate businesses and tobacco. “We need to ask what tax rates will achieve our public health objectives,” he said. — Pexcel John Bacon