Starting next month, all electronic cigarettes and vapes sold in physical and online stores in the Philippines will feature graphic health warnings on their packaging. This move, aimed at discouraging the use of these harmful products, follows an advisory issued by the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday.
The DOH shared that the graphic health warnings will take up half of the packaging material of vapes and will visually depict the harmful effects of smoking these products on the human body. The goal is to replicate the success of similar warnings on cigarette packaging in reducing tobacco use in the country.
This enforcement comes two years after the DOH issued administrative orders on guidelines and templates for these warnings. The development of these guidelines aligns with Republic Act No. 11900, which transferred the regulation of vaping products to the Department of Trade and Industry.
The warnings on vape products will showcase images like dry, itchy red eyes, a damaged lung, and even a bloodied hand from an e-cigarette explosion. Both English and Filipino warnings will caution users about the harmful substances in these products and advise against use by nonsmokers.
Under the new law, only registered e-cigarettes and vape products with these graphic health warnings can be sold in the Philippines. Violators face hefty fines, prison time, and license revocation.
As the country grapples with a growing number of young vape users, the DOH is amplifying its efforts to educate the youth about the dangers of using these products. Online reporting mechanisms have also been put in place to monitor compliance with the new regulations.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa is working closely with the Department of Education and the Philippine National Police to ensure that necessary steps are taken to protect the public, especially minors, from the risks associated with vaping.
