A group advocating children’s rights on Thursday said it supports moves to amend Republic Act No. 11900 or the Vape Law to protect kids’ health and safety.
In a news release, Child Rights Network (CRN) Philippines said it welcomes the bill filed by Muntinlupa City Lone District Rep. Jimmy Fresnedi that seeks to reinstate the child protection measures removed during the passage of the law.
It noted that the bill is a development and a “good counterpart” to the amendatory bill filed by Senator Pia Cayetano in 2022.
“We are currently facing a youth ‘vapedemic,’ with one in seven children aged 13 to 15 already using vapes or e-cigs,” the group said.
“It’s only logical to return the regulation of vapes and e-cigs to the Food and Drug Administration from the Department of Trade and Industry, given the clear health risks they pose to their users, especially children.”
Citing that vapes and e-cigarettes are not ordinary consumer products, the group said the DTI is not fully-equipped to oversee such products.
It
also supports the ban on online marketing and distribution of vapes and the raising of the minimum access age to vapes from 18 years old to 21 years old.
“Though not addressed in this bill, we believe that the age restriction on access to all tobacco products, including traditional combustible cigarettes should also be raised to 21,” it said.
The tobacco industry opposes such safeguards as their business model depends on getting young people addicted to nicotine, it added.
Source: Philippines News Agency