More Filipino doctors pushed for the enactment of the final version of the Vape Bill, which they said, will fill the gap in local regulation, as the current laws are not enough to prevent the sale of vapor products to the youth and stop the proliferation of substandard devices.
Dr. Telesforo Gana, past president of the Philippine Urological Association, said a review of the final version of the Vape Bill will show that it is designed to prevent the use of vape products by the youth.
“I have always followed the developments on the Vape Bill because I know it will benefit people like me who were once a long-time smoker and was able to successfully quit smoking and shifted to less harmful products like vape and heated tobacco products,” said Gana.
“Even if I am not a lawyer, it is easy to see that the final version of the Vape Bill is better than RA 11467 because it adequately protects our youth by providing several provisions that will ban the use of these products to minors including a ban on using flavor descriptors that appeal to minors―in addition to the flavor ban under RA 11467. Many or most of the provisions of the vape bill are not contained in RA 11467,” he said.
Republic Act No. 11467, or the law imposing taxes on vapor products, only provides for a one-paragraph provision regulating vapor products, particularly on the ban on the use of flavors that appeal to minors and age restrictions.
Gana, past chairman of the Philippine Board of Urology, said illegal vape products proliferated in the market.
Manila Standard – 2022-05-01.