The harmful effects of vaping was made priority as the bill was enforced into law. Photo courtesy of ThePost (2022).
The Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products (VNNP) Regulation Act lapsed into law on Monday, July 25, 2022.
The newly lapsed law seeks to regulate the “importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and communication of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products, and novel tobacco products.”
Ako Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin, Jr. – co-author of the law – stated.
Under this new law, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will collaborate to establish the technical standards regarding the safety, consistency, and quality of vape products.
This law lowers the legal age for acquiring e-cigarettes from 21 to 18 years old, compared to tobacco cigarettes, which have been 18 years old since then. It also imposes penalties for stores that sell to minors.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also enforced a ban on flavored refills for e-cigarettes in May 2022, excluding plain tobacco and plain menthol as they are deemed toxic and addictive.
Regarding the Tobacco Tax Law of 2019, cigarette pack prices will increase up to PHP. 5 per pack annually until it hits PHP. 60 per pack. The tax on vape products, on the other hand, reached PHP. 55 per 10 ml compared to PHP. 50 the prior year.
The Department of Health (DOH) will also implement guidelines regarding the awareness campaign on smoking and vaping restrictions.
Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez said in a letter sent to Congress that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has allowed the bill to lapse into law without his signature. Rodriguez also disseminated a copy of the law to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The Congress approved the bill in January 2022, and the Palace has yet to release a copy of the newly lapsed law.