Duterte Continues to be Urged to Veto New Vape Bill

New regulations for the vaping industry continue to sit on President Rodrigo Duterte’s desk in the Philippines. Again last week, the country’s Department of Education (DoE) urged Duterte to veto the Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act approved by the Senate on third and final reading last December 2021.

“As a government institution championing young Filipinos’ well-being, we are taking a stand against the so-called ‘anti-health’ vape bill, which will weaken existing law and the executive order against electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS) commonly known as e-cigarettes or ‘vapes,’” according to a DoE statement.

If passed into law, the proposed legislation will lower the access restriction age from 21 to 18 years old. The bill also permits online sales, and allows flavors other than plain tobacco and menthol, the only two flavors currently allowed by law.

The bill also prohibits celebrities or social media influencers from endorsing vapor products. Physical and online retailers or distributors must register with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

To underscore the danger it poses to the youth, the DoE stated that for school year 2020-2021, at least 870,000 learners in the basic education sector were 18 years old, while close to 1.1 million learners in senior high school were 18 to 20 years old.

“This is the number of learners who will become legally allowed to be marketed the harmful products once the bill becomes law,” the DoE stated, adding that young people are vulnerable to engage in risky behaviors such as substance abuse.