DTI warns online sellers against violating vape law

MANILA, Philippines  – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday said it met with representatives of e-commerce platforms and other online marketplaces to address the proliferation of prohibited vape products being advertised and sold online.

Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, who heads the department’s consumer protection group, reiterated to them to strictly comply with the law, citing in particular measures to ensure that minors have no access to these products which are deemed hazardous to health.

“We called for a high-level representation to this meeting with the aim of getting the commitment of the decision makers; we want to ensure that products prohibited in RA11900 are not sold in your platforms in blatant contravention of the law,” Castello said during the meeting held a day earlier.

“Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in relevant issuances shall constrain the DTI to undertake all necessary and available legal actions against these business entities,” she added.

Further, Castelo told lawyers of these online platforms to ensure compliance with the law and not to circumvent them, adding that each merchant found selling prohibited items in their platform is equivalent to one formal charge.

This, she said, means that the number of merchants found violating the law in their respective platforms will determine the number of cases that the DTI will file against the online platforms.

Present during the meeting were representatives of Meta (Facebook), Lazada , Shopee Philippines, Grab, Carousell, Pick.A.Roo, Delivery Hero Philippines, Prosperna, and Etaily.

The DTI said these companies gave their commitment to work with the agency in ensuring compliance with the law.

It also reminded manufacturers and importers of the 18-month transitory period, which meant they have until June 5 of this year to comply with product registration and certification requirements on  all vape products.