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AnaKalusugan Party-list  Rep. Ray Reyes says the mandate of regulating vape products must be transferred from Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Reyes made this appeal in an effort to mitigate the possible onset of e-cigarette or vape-associated lung injury (EVALI) among the youth. 

In this regard, the vice chairman of the House Committee on Health urged fellow lawmakers to revisit Republic Act (RA) No.11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act. 

"We've been warning everyone for years on the mistake of putting the vape law under DTI supervision. two years lang ang lumipas (only two years have gone by) and now we see the consequences of it," Reyes said. 

"We need to revise the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) to return vape products to DOH (Department of Health) and FDA instead of DTI," he added. 

Reyes cited reports from the Philippine College of Chest Physicians that showed increasing numbers of EVALI cases nationwide. 

EVALI is a medical condition causing lung damage from substances found in vaping products.  

"While these products are usually branded as a safer alternative to cigarettes, they still pose many health risks," Reyes said. 

Reyes also expressed concern over the increasing number of teenagers in the country that are using vape. 

He cited the latest Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 14 percent of Filipinos – or one in every seven – between 13 and 15 years old, are already using e-cigarettes. 

"It is very alarming that more and more Filipino youth are using vape and e-cigarettes. We should double our efforts in enforcing smoking and vaping laws, especially for minors," he added. 

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), more than 8,600 minors were caught violating vaping and smoking laws from May to December 2023.