The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has allowed the sale, distribution, and advertising of vape products on e-commerce and other digital platforms, provided that sellers require buyers to register first to prevent minors from purchasing.

Under Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 25-04, consumers of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products, their devices, and novel tobacco products are required to register with the seller's digital platform before they obtain access to such products.

This is to confirm that a buyer is at least 18 years old, allowing them to legally access vape products, as aligned with Republic Act (RA) No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act.

The order stated that minimum requirements of registration include the submission of a photograph of the buyer holding a valid government-issued identification exhibiting their age or date of birth, and a declaration that no minor will view or assist them in purchasing vape products.

“This DAO on age-gating measures reinforces the DTI’s advocacy for public safety and responsible regulation of products in the digital space,” the DTI said in a statement.

Further, it stated that a measure denying access to those below 18 “shall be considered effective” if the individual “cannot access and/or purchase from an internet website, e-commerce and/or other similar media platform that sells, distributes, or advertises” vape products “at any given time and without any assistance from another who is 18 years or older.”

Online sellers are mandated to adopt certain “effective measures,” which include encoding of data stated in the consumer’s government-issued ID, and a one-time password (OTP) or personal identification number (PIN) sent to the consumer.

The order stated that sellers may also opt to introduce facial recognition technology or biometrics, harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and geofencing technology to restrict access to minors.

In July last year, the DTI suspended the online sale of vape products on digital marketplaces until age verification measures were instituted to prevent individuals below 18 from buying said products.

The agency, under then-secretary Alfredo Pascual, stressed that the lack of a verification system allows minors to easily access harmful substances that pose a threat to their health and well-being.

A 2019 study by the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) estimated that approximately 14 percent of Filipino youth are using vape products—equivalent to about one in seven individuals.

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) recently said that more than 115,000 Filipinos die each year from diseases linked to tobacco, alcohol, and vape use.

A report by online research provider Research and Markets stated that the Philippines e-cigarette and vape market is anticipated to reach $345.6 million by 2030.

The industry is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7 percent from 2024 to 2030.