Most Filipinos reject partners who smoke, vape, drink — national survey
A majority of Filipinos, spanning almost all generations, do not prefer romantic partners who engage in smoking, vaping, or drinking alcohol, according to WR Numero’s March national survey.
In its latest Philippine Public Opinion Monitor, respondents were asked how comfortable Filipinos are with a significant other or a potential romantic partner consuming alcohol, vaping, and tobacco products.
The pollster said that around three in four respondents, or 75%, expressed that vaping is unacceptable in a partner.
The remaining 15% of respondents noted openness, while 10% said they are undecided or unfamiliar with vaping products.
Disapproval of partners who engage in vaping is consistent across generations. Gen X recorded the highest disapproval at 78%, followed by Baby Boomers at 76%, Millennials at 75%, Gen Z at 73%, and the Silent Generation at 69%.
WR Numero said Gen Z is the most receptive to partners who vape, at 21%.
A similar preference was also observed for tobacco use, with around 78% of Filipinos saying they are not open to partners who smoke, 16% expressing openness, and 6% saying they are unsure.
The pollster noted that almost all generations disapprove of smoking partners, with Baby Boomers recording 86% disapproval, followed by Gen Z at 83%, Millennials at 75%, Gen X at 74%, and the Silent Generation at 50%.
Notably, Gen X showed the highest level of openness to a partner smoking at 20%.
For alcohol use, nearly two in three Filipinos find the substance consumption undesirable in a romantic partner, while 26% said they accept it, and 8% are undecided.
All generations expressed disapproval, with the highest levels recorded among Baby Boomers at 72%, followed by Gen Z and Millennials at 65% each, Gen X at 64%, and the Silent Generation at 52%.
Millennials and Gen X showed the highest openness among the groups at 28% each.
The March 2026 nationwide survey covered 1,455 Filipinos from March 10 to 17.
WR Numero said the survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
The margin of error is higher at the generational level due to smaller sample sizes, it noted.
The World Health Organization earlier warned that smoking, vaping, and alcohol use are linked to serious health risks, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic respiratory conditions.
Around 115,000 Filipinos die annually due to consumption of these substance, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Global Burden of Disease report said. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
