DTI steps up campaign vs youth vaping, teams up with advocacy groups

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it has partnered with several advocacy groups to ramp up its campaign against youth vaping in the country.

In a statement, the government agency said that for this campaign, it has engaged organizations including the Health Justice Philippines, Social Watch Philippines, Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), Child Rights Network (CRN), and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK).

The DTI said it conducted dialogues on innovative strategies to address the problem of youth vaping and strengthen the enforcement mechanisms of relevant laws.

READ: Stop the youth vaping trend

Citing Republic Act No. 11900, commonly known as the Vape Law, and aligned with the government’s efforts to ensure consumer protection, Trade Secretary Alfredo E Pascual highlighted the need to prevent the youth from gaining access to vape products.

Marketing strategies

“Marketing and selling vape products to minors is expressly prohibited under the Vape Law,” Pascual said in a statement.

“However, there remains strong evidence that the vape industry players are making use of marketing strategies aimed toward the youth, who remain to be the more impressionable segments of the population,” he added

The DTI says it has principal jurisdiction over the regulation of vapes and other novel tobacco products in the market.

READ: DTI: Mandatory certification of vape products this week

Meanwhile, the Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and local government units have complementary roles as assigned by the DTI.

From January 2024 to date, the DTI has confiscated vape products worth P32.76 million.

The DTI also began the mandatory registration and certifications of vape products last week, as mandated under the Vape Act.