Philippine Government Plans To Establish Certification Process To Combat Illegal Vaping

According to a report by the Philippine Star on February 29, the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is planning to establish an e-cigarette certification process in the country to cooperate with the government’s crackdown on illegal e-cigarette products. Product registration and other related provisions under Republic Act 11900 or the Atomized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Act, which will take effect in June 2024. The "Act" stipulates that all imported and manufactured atomized nicotine, non-nicotine products and new tobacco products must pass the DTI's mandatory certification process before being distributed in the market.

DTI Consumer Protection Group Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles led the inspection of the existing e-cigarette testing facilities at the Philippine Bureau of Standards Laboratory in Cavite. This inspection evaluates the testing procedures for e-cigarette products and related accessories, including dry batteries and secondary batteries. To ensure the integrity and validity of the testing process, various laboratory instruments were also evaluated.

According to Philippine media GmanetworkGMA, on March 4, Philippine Finance Minister Ralph Recto proposed selling disposable e-cigarettes in the Philippines. He said these are mostly unregistered products: “I think we should ban the sale of disposable e-cigarette products. Most or even all disposable e-cigarette products are not registered with the DTI (Philippine Department of Trade and Industry) and have not been paid. sale tax."

However, Recto revealed that he has not informed the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the proposal to ban disposable e-cigarettes. The agency is responsible for regulating e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products. "We don't know if these unregulated products are safe. They pay no taxes and attract minors to buy them," he said.

He believes that if disposable e-cigarette manufacturers fully fulfill their tax obligations, their devices should be sold for no less than 3,000 pesos ($53.57) per unit. The current online selling price of disposable e-cigarettes ranges from 120 pesos ($2.14) to 430 pesos ($7.68) per cigarette.

In January 2024, the Philippine Health Minister urged law enforcement agencies to strengthen prevention and control, prohibit minors from accessing e-cigarettes, and emphasized the health risks of nicotine to the human body, whether through tobacco or e-cigarettes, and also emphasized the role of parents in preventing their children from using e-cigarettes. aspects of responsibilities. In May 2023, the Philippine National Police said they would track down minors who smoke and use e-cigarettes outside schools, warning that if children do not listen, their e-cigarettes will be confiscated.

The Philippines is one of the major countries exporting my country’s e-cigarettes to Southeast Asia. According to China Customs trade data, China’s e-cigarette exports to the Philippines in December 2023 were approximately US$32.91 million, a month-on-month increase of 25.16% and a year-on-year increase of 278.2%. The export volume was approximately 828 tons, a month-on-month increase of 19.98%, and a year-on-year increase of 445.23%.

——News source: Two Supreme E-cigarettes, Philippine media