Child rights advocates support amending the Vape Law to protect children

The Child Rights Network (CRN) Philippines and its convenor, the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, fully support the recent bill filed by Rep. Jimmy Fresnedi (Lone District, Muntinlupa) that seeks to reinstate the child protection measures removed during the passage of the pro-tobacco industry Vape Law.

This bill is a welcome development and a good counterpart to the amendatory bill filed by Sen. Pia Cayetano as early as 2022.

We are currently facing a youth ‘vapedemic,’ with 1 in 7 children aged 13 to 15 already using vapes or e-cigs.

It’s only logical to return the regulation of vapes and e-cigs to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), given the clear health risks they pose to their users, especially children.

These are not ordinary consumer products, yet the Vape Law forced the DTI to oversee products they are not fully equipped to regulate when it comes to health risks — something the tobacco industry clearly pushed to make the rules easier for them.

We also support the bill’s ban on online marketing and distribution of vapes, which are easily accessible to children online, and raising the minimum age to access vapes from 18 to 21.

Though not addressed in this bill, we believe that the age restriction on access to all tobacco products, including traditional combustible cigarettes should also be raised to 21.

The tobacco industry opposes these safeguards because their business model depends on attracting young people as their future smokers and getting them addicted to nicotine.

Rep. Fresnedi’s bill represents a return to responsible regulation that prioritizes the health and safety of children over the profits of a harmful industry.