A LANDMARK bill that regulates the manufacture, use, sale, distribution, and promotion of vaping as well as heated tobacco products (HTPs) has passed its third and final reading in the Philippines’ House of Representatives.
It will now go to the Senate. Barring any undue outside influence, there the bill will be approved into law, according to consumer advocates.
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) executive coordinator Nancy Loucas described the proposed ‘Non-Combustible Nicotine Delivery Systems Regulation Act’ as a massive legislative achievement for tobacco harm reduction advocates in the Philippines.
“Nearly 90,000 Filipinos die from smoking-related diseases every year,” she pointed out. “This legislation will not only save thousands of lives, but the Philippines is now leading the way in the Asia-Pacific region with reasonable, risk proportionate regulation which will be very effective in curbing smoking rates.”
With international evidence putting vaping at 95% less harmful than smoking, non-combustible electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems have been available in the Philippines for more than a decade.
In 2019, however, the Government tried to ban the use of e-cigarettes, HTPs (heated tobacco products) and other smoke-free alternatives.
Once the proposed bill becomes law, CAPHRA says it will also remove any remaining vestiges of influence from foreigners. This includes raising the age to purchase to 25, and a ban on flavours other than menthol and tobacco that was due to come into effect in May 2022.
To re-cap, a proposed Government ban sparked efforts by the likes of Vapers PH and the Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association (PECIA) – with support from CAPHRA – to meet with House and Senate representatives on the benefits of smoke-free alternatives.
They reinforced to legislators that vaping has proven to be the most effective smoking cessation tool around the world, with the Philippines in desperate need of best practice policies to reduce the numbers smoking.
CAPHRA’s Philippine representative Clarisse Virgino is delighted over the prospect of more Filipinos successfully quitting smoking – something which is of historic significance given the country’s stubbornly high smoking rates for decades.
“The proposed Act will legitimise the market of vaporised nicotine products which means that consumers will have better protection,” she asserted
“We hope that the Senate will also support this bill to provide millions of Filipino smokers with less harmful alternatives to combustible cigarettes.” – May 26, 2021
