According to a report in the Manila Standard on June 18, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines, along with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and representatives from online shopping platforms Lazada, Tiktok, and Shopee, jointly organized a seminar to discuss the possibility of collaborating to combat illegal e-cigarette products.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) stated that they will strengthen enforcement efforts against illegal products, equip monitoring and enforcement teams with necessary tools to ensure offenders are punished, and remove these products from the domestic market.
Minister of Trade and Industry Alfredo Pascual stated in a declaration:
Violators are becoming increasingly cunning, infiltrating the market with illegal e-cigarette products. We can combat their proliferation through collaboration with other government agencies and private sectors, engaging the public in a participatory approach.
At the seminar, representatives from the two departments and the platform discussed the emerging trends in addictive substances both domestically and internationally. They specifically highlighted the application of psilocybin and cannabis in food, beverages, and e-cigarette products, both of which are listed on the Controlled Substances Schedule of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
The head of the PDEA emphasized the importance of updating the memorandum of understanding with e-commerce platforms in order to address current challenges.
Representatives from Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok have expressed their commitment to collaborating with DTI and PDEA to crack down on the illegal sale of substances on their platforms.
The PDEA recommends updating and revising agreements with online platforms to better address the threat of illegal substances in the market.
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