DTI Cracks Down on Illegal E-Cigarette Shops in Philippines

May.05.2023

Philippine government shuts down two vape shops violating regulations, confiscates products worth 63,340 pesos.

On May 5th, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the Philippines forcibly shut down two shops selling electronic cigarettes in Balanga City. These shops were found to be in violation of the country's regulations on e-cigarettes, including operating without a license and opening their shops in locations not compliant with distance requirements.

Conducting offline law enforcement operations.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has confiscated 205 electronic cigarette products worth a total of 63,340 Philippine pesos due to their violation of the Philippine's "Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Product Regulation Act.

The law prohibits retailers from selling electronic cigarettes with packaging, labeling, displays, or proof that could be attractive to minors.

This law enforcement operation was jointly led by the Deputy Minister of the Department of Trade and Industry, Ruth Castelo, and the Mayor of Valenzuela City, Wes Gatchalian.

During the inspection process, at least two electronic cigarette stores were ordered to shut down due to lack of business licenses and being too close to schools, only one electronic cigarette store complied with legal requirements.

According to Philippine law, the sale, advertising, and display of electronic cigarettes or new tobacco products are prohibited within a 100-meter radius of schools, recreational areas, or other places where minors frequent.

Call for e-commerce platforms to comply with the law.

Apart from physical electronic cigarette shops, the DTI has urged e-commerce platforms to comply with regulations regarding electronic cigarette products. The DTI has also recommended that e-commerce platforms remove more than 15,000 non-compliant electronic cigarette merchants.

Castro stated, "We urge online marketplaces to supervise their sellers and ensure that products have age verification mechanisms and sales labeling. Additionally, all listed products should have legally mandated health warning labels.

Further reading:

The Philippine e-commerce platform Lazada has been asked to remove illegal electronic cigarette products.

2. The Philippines may include tobacco in its anti-smuggling bill. 3. The Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines plans to crack down on online platforms selling illegal e-cigarettes.

The Philippine government has recommended e-commerce platforms to remove non-compliant electronic cigarette merchants. About 15,000 sellers have already been monitored.

References:

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is persistently pursuing a crackdown on vape shops that fail to comply with regulations.

#North America #United States #Philippines #Regulation #E-cigarette #E-cigarettes and Tobacco #Illegal e-cigarettes #E-cigarette shops

This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

U.S. FDA Includes Cytisinicline for Vaping Addiction in National Priority Voucher Program, Shortens Review to 1–2 Months

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added Cytisinicline, a plant-based therapy developed by Achieve Life Sciences for nicotine vaping addiction, to its new National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program. The initiative shortens drug review timelines from 10–12 months to just 1–2 months, expediting approval for treatments that address major public health needs.

Oct.20 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Russian Duma Committee Moves to Embed Local Vape Prohibitions

Fedot Tumusov, First Deputy Chair of the Duma Health Committee, called vapes the “most dangerous and least controlled” nicotine product and said restricting them should be a priority. While refining a government bill, the committee proposes granting regions the power to ban vape sales. Committee Chair Sergey Leonov said the illicit e-cig market exceeds 60%, with new licensing aimed at cleaning up the sector.

Oct.30 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Philip Morris Korea Launches New TEREA Packaging for IQOS ILUMA to Mark Third Anniversary

Philip Morris Korea has announced a new packaging design for TEREA, the dedicated tobacco stick brand for its heat-not-burn device IQOS ILUMA, to celebrate the third anniversary of its launch in South Korea. The newly designed products are now available at nine IQOS flagship stores and major convenience stores across the country.

Nov.13 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Trump Signs H.R.5371: FDA to Deploy $200 Million for ENDS Enforcement

President Donald Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R.5371) on November 12, Section 772 of Part B—the Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (S.2256)—requires the FDA to allocate no less than $200 million in tobacco user fees to enforce regulations against illegal e-cigarettes, vapes, and other ENDS products. At least $2 million of this funding supports a federal multi-agency task force targeting products originating from the China.

Nov.14 by 2FIRSTS.ai