A group of 60 civil society organizations calling themselves the Sin Tax Coalition in the Philippines have called on President Rodrigo Duterte to veto an “anti-youth” and “anti-health” legislation legalizing the sale of electronic vaporizers and heated tobacco products.
The measure, which merges Senate Bill 2239 and House Bill 9007, would lower the age limit of access to e-cigarettes and vapes from 21 years old to 18, transfer regulatory jurisdiction from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and allow multiple flavors to vape products, according to the Manilla Times.
The coalition said that the bill “contradicts the supposed intention of protecting the Filipino youth from addiction [to cigarettes].” Citing a 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey that showed that one in seven Filipino students aged 13-15 are electronic cigarette users, the expansion of access to these devices will endanger young Filipinos, thus stricter regulation is needed to prevent the epidemic of vaping-related lung injuries in the country, according to the group.
The group called on Duterte to fulfill his campaign promise and leave a legacy of protecting public health by vetoing the bill, noting that he issued an executive order banning the manufacture, distribution, sale and marketing of unregistered e-cigarette products and expanding the smoking ban in enclosed public areas. “Passing this bill is an utter disservice to the health, welfare and well-being of your constituents. It is anti-youth, anti-health, and pro-addiction,” the group stated.