According to a report from the Manila Bulletin on June 3, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the Philippines has stated that in the first five months of strict enforcement, the value of illegal e-cigarette products seized has exceeded 25.87 million pesos (440,000 US dollars), significantly surpassing the total of 5.453 million pesos (93,000 US dollars) seized for the entire year of 2023.
The minister Alfredo E. Pascual stated that this should serve as a strong warning to potential violators.
Halfway through the year, there has been a significant increase in the seizure of illegal e-cigarettes. This proves our unwavering commitment to protecting Filipino consumers, especially our youth. These results demonstrate that our efforts are paying off, and we will not stop here.
This year, with the launch of the special task force "Kala Sag," the Ministry of Commerce has increased consumer protection efforts nationwide. The strict enforcement actions taken on e-cigarette regulations and fair trade laws have instilled confidence in the public regarding the Ministry's commitment to ensuring market safety and fairness.
Since the implementation of the e-cigarette law, the Department of Trade and Industry has seized a total of 67,010 e-cigarette products, valued at 31.328 million pesos (or 530,000 US dollars). The majority of the seized e-cigarette products have violated Republic Act 11900, also known as the e-cigarette law. Specifically, they have violated Section 6, Subsection (j) of the law, which strictly prohibits the sale of e-cigarette products with packaging, labeling, display, and marketing that appeal to minors with taste descriptions or cartoon characters.
The Ministry of Commerce encourages the public to report any illegal sales, manufacturing, and distribution of illegal e-cigarette products.
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