The newly enacted vape law which was overwhelming passed by majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives will drastically reduce smoking-related deaths and diseases, while ensuring minors are protected said the authors.
One of the law’s authors, former Ako Bicol Representative Alfredo Garbin, Jr said, “We care for all smokers lives.” He noted that the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Regulation law “does not allow minors access to e-cigarettes, in fact it has strict provisions to protect them. The law equalizes the minimum age of access to cigarettes and vapes to ensure that all adult smokers are provided with better alternatives.”
“If legally an 18 year old is allowed to buy cigarettes then he should be allowed to have a better choice.,” he added.
Vape law’s sponsor in the Senate, former Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto stressed during the law’s deliberation that, “There will be less death and less expense on the part of society in treating patients. And that is the direction where many countries, more developed economies are moving toward.”
Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian, Deputy Speaker of the 18th Congress and co-sponsor of the measure said, “The Vape Law will protect our minors because they will be prohibited from buying these products and there are very stiff penalties for those who will be caught violating the prohibitions under the bill. Now that we have the Vape Law in place, it is time that our government agencies such as the DTI and FDA work together so we can bring down our country’s smoking rates.”
“The Vape Law is a historic milestone in our fight against smoking as it will give our 16 million Filipino smokers, who cannot quit smoking, a chance to have access to better alternatives,” Gatchalian said.
One of the VNNP law’s primary authors, Former House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta said, “This anti-smoking Vape Law is a landmark public health measure that we should all be proud of. It’s our first comprehensive anti-smoking law in almost 20 years. With this law, we have a very good chance to eradicate the smoking epidemic, which kills almost 100,000 Filipino smokers every year, once and for all. It will be just a matter of time before we see our country’s smoking rate go down.”
The Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Regulation Act or R.A. 11900 regulates the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and communication of vaping products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs). It is viewed as a ‘historic’ legislative public health measure by various sectoral groups.
Proponents including medical professionals, scientific experts and consumer rights advocates have all hailed the bill as a landmark legislation seen to reduce smoking prevalence in the country by providing more than 16 million Filipino smokers with less harmful alternatives. There are already an estimated one million vapers in the country today.
The vape bill was first introduced as House Bill No. 3330 in the 17th Congress filed by the late Congressman Rodel Batocabe of the Ako Bicol Partylist back August 25 in 2016. In the 18th Congress, a total of three public hearings and seven technical working group meetings were conducted jointly by the House Committee on Trade and Industry and Committee on Health. It was overwhelmingly approved by Congress on May 25, 2021 and by the Senate on December 14, 2021.
The bicameral conference committee consolidated in January of this year the disagreeing provisions of House Bill No. 9007 and Senate Bill No. 2239 and was transmitted to President Duterte for signing into law in June 24, 2022.