Bong Go backs ban on disposable vapes; cites detrimental effect to Filipino youth
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Sunday, March 10 has expressed his support to the government’s plan to ban the sale of disposable vapes in the country, saying the unregulated sale of these products especially in the online market has a detrimental effect to young Filipinos.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also said cited the need to enforce stricter control on sale and distribution of disposable vapes, citing the danger of its ease of access to minors due to their availability online.
“Most of these are sold online, without assurance that they are not being sold to minors. They are highly unregulated, and we do not know if these products are safe to use, potentially risking our people's health,” Go said in a statement.
“Moreover, given its unregulated sale online which are mostly not taxed, such practice deprives the government of its rightful revenue,” he pointed out.
At the same time, Go called on authorities to strictly enforce the existing law on vapes, or Republic Act No. 11900 or the law that regulates the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging and distribution of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products and non-novel tobacco products.
“Kaya nga meron tayong vape law upang masiguro nating ligtas ang mga ibinebentang vapes sa mga users na nasa tamang edad lamang (The reason why we have a vape law is to ensure that the vapes being sold to uers are safe and are sold to those who are within legal age),” Go pointed out.
“Kung hahayaan nating ibenta ito online, wala tayong kasiguruhan na hindi nakakabili ang mga menor na edad (If we are going to allow it to be sold online, we cannot be certain that minors cannot buy it),” he remarked.
The senator also urged the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to consider measures to address the sale of vapes online and ensure compliance with Philippine laws and regulations.
“Kaya panawagan ko na rin sa DTI, pag-aralan ang mga maaaring hakbang upang matugunan ito at masigurong ang pagbebenta ng vapes ay naaayon sa ating mga batas at regulasyon (That’s why I also call on the DTI to study the measures to address this and to ensure that the sale of vapes here in the country comply with our laws and regulation),” he said.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto recently brought raised the government’s plan to prohibit disposable vapes saying most of these are unregistered and evade paying excise taxes.
These disposable vapes, Recto also said, are harmful to the environment.