Tobacco harm reduction advocates described Republic Act 11900 or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act as the most comprehensive regulatory framework that will help save the lives of 16 million smokers.
Health groups said the measure will also protect minors and generate revenues for government, while preventing the illicit trade of substandard devices in the market.
Philippine E-cigarette Industry Association president Joey Dulay said RA 11900 will regulate the industry for the welfare of consumers.
“The Vape Law provides a comprehensive regulation that will protect consumers and promote responsible trade, ensuring minors and non-smokers are protected,” he said.
Dr. Lorenzo Mata Jr., a physician and president of advocacy group Quit For Good, said the vape law will help address the world’s leading cause of preventable deaths which is the smoking epidemic. “Ten Filipinos die of smoking-related diseases every hour,” he said.
RA 11900, which became a law on 25 July 2022, regulates the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and communication of vaping products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
Hope for smokers
Dr. Mata said: “Quit for Good welcomes the enactment of the Vape Regulation Law. This will usher the drastic decline of smoking prevalence in the Philippines with the potential to save the lives of 16 million Filipino smokers. With the vape law, we now expect to see a decline in smoking-related deaths and diseases.”
He said compared to cigarette smoking, vaporized nicotine products such as e-cigarettes or vapes and HTPS are fundamentally different from and are better alternatives because these innovative products do not produce smoke and generate only aerosol or vapor by heating the e-liquid or tobacco.