The Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI) has called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in the Philippines to crack down on illegal vape products.
In a recent letter addressed to BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., the organization emphasized that the full implementation of the vaping and non-nicotine product regulation law "will ensure that the public is protected from the dangers of using illegal products and that appropriate taxation is collected to help our economy.
The bill is set to become law in July 2022, regulating the import, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use, and promotion of e-cigarette products, including electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
According to the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law, e-commerce platforms, online marketplaces, and other similar online platforms are only allowed to allow registered distributors, merchants, or retailers with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Internal Revenue to sell vape products, equipment, and tobacco products that are sold on their website or platform.
To ensure that minors are unable to access electronic cigarette products, IRR (regulatory body) is also requiring that the refill containers of such products have tamper-proof and child-resistant features. They are also prohibiting the use of packaging or labels that feature flavor descriptions that may appeal to minors.
We also hope that BIR will closely collaborate with the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies, as well as the Bureau of Customs' relevant anti-illegal trade organizations to ensure the effective implementation of the law and its IRR," PTI said.
Members of PTI include Japan Tobacco International, Philip Morris International, and British American Tobacco.
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