Some senators are pushing for a total ban on vape products, supporting the Department of Health’s (DOH) position on the matter of restricting the use of vapes to a complete prohibition such unhealthy commodities.

Sen. Pia Cayetano noted that over the years, many Asian countries have shifted from a policy of restricting the use of vapes to a complete ban. 

“Eight (8) of our Southeast Asian neighbors — Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and Myanmar — have implemented total bans. There are sound reasons for this shift, especially because evidence shows that our kids are getting addicted to these products,” Cayetano said.

“We must be willing to explore all options from banning to stricter regulations. It is only right that we act decisively to strengthen protections and safeguard our kids from harm,” she stressed.

Cayetano cited a study by the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), showing that  e-cigarette use among adolescents in the Philippines had reached an alarming 39.9% in 2023 from 0.08% in 2015.

During a Senate hearing on vapes on May 6, Wednesday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros voiced her support on the idea, saying the use of vapes, especially by the youth, has brought about additional public health challenges for the Philippines.

Hontiveros, during a recent Senate hearing on the proliferation of vape products among Filipino youth, noted that since the enactment into law of Republic Act No. 11900 or the "Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act” in July 2022, lawmakers thought “that regulation would be enough, that safeguards would control access and risks could be managed.”

“But we have heard from doctors, experts, and even from the experiences  in our communities: young people—some as young as 13 to 15—are  already using vape products,” she pointed out.

“Bakit nga ba (Why is it)? Ito’y dahil ang (this is because) vape products ay (are) attractive, available, at (and) affordable.  Madali silang makabili. Madali silang ma-expose. At madali silang ma engganyo (They can easily buy. They are exposed easily. And they can be convinced quickly),” Hontiveros said.

“Online, isang click lang—‘I am 18’—at may delivery na o sa isang ‘PM’ lang, makakaiskor na agad sa sellers na nasa iba’t ibang social media platform.  Walang totoong age verification, walang accountability (With just one click—‘I am 18’—they can deliver with just one private message. Sellers, especially in different social media platforms), can score easily. There is no true age verification, no accountability),” she lamented.

“Malinaw, hindi na ito simpleng (Clearly, this is no simple) implementation gap. Ito ay malinaw na disconnect sa pagitan ng policy design at ng lived reality (This is clearly a disconnect in policy design and lived reality),” she pointed out.

Minutes before the Senate hearing, Dr. Dominic Maddumba, OIC-Director III of the DOH Health Promotion Bureau, said they tried to make a fake account, with a self-declared age verification, and was able to buy vapes through online apps.

“We made use of some keywords. We didn’t use vape in characters; we used the characters V space P E. So we are able to sneak through,” Dr. Maddumba said.

“Even though there are regulations and restrictions on online sale, hindi po nakakasabay, hindi nakakasabay sa pace natin (Even though there are regulations and restrictions on online sales, they can’t keep up, they can’t keep up with our pace). I think the most logical thing to do to simplify the enforcement and the regulation to total banning it,” the doctor stressed.