President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Tuesday that he would ban the use and importation of vape or e-cigarettes in public.
“I will ban it. I will ban it, the use and importation,” Duterte told reporters.
Duterte said the said vaping devices could be a threat to public health.
“You know why? Because it is toxic, and government has the power to issue measures to protect public health and public interest,” the President added.
Duterte also said law enforcers would arrest anyone who would use vape or e-cigarettes in public.
“Better stop it because I will order your arrest if you do it in a room. I am now ordering the law-enforcement agencies to arrest anybody vaping in public. That is like smoking,” Duterte added.
Duterte wants ban on vape, e-cigarettes
Last week, the first case of vape-related illness in the Philippines was recorded by the DOH.
The DOH received a report that there was an electronic cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI) from Central Visayas.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Sunday said he would urge President Rodrigo Duterte to issue an executive order to regulate vapes and electronic cigarette use in the country.
Go said that as of now, there is no specific law that would regulate the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of vapes and electronic cigarettes. He also said the Department of Health’s attempt to execute some rules had been hindered through an injunction from a Pasig court.
Senator Bong Go is the chairman of the Senate committee on health. Go said smoking in any form is a public health problem and could affect smokers and non-smokers alike.