Warning from PDEA: Public Urged to Avoid Cannabis Oil E-cigarettes

Regulations by 2FIRSTS.ai
Apr.24.2024
Warning from PDEA: Public Urged to Avoid Cannabis Oil E-cigarettes
PDEA warns against illegal e-cigarette pods containing cannabis oil in the Philippines, crackdown underway on illegal drug trade.

According to a report from Gov.ph on April 22, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has warned the public against using e-cigarettes containing cannabis oil.

 

The director of the Soksalgen region, Aileen Lovitos, emphasized that the use of cannabis oil e-cigarette products violates Articles 5 (illegal sale of dangerous drugs) and 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Anyone found selling or possessing such products will face corresponding legal consequences.

 

Recently, the department seized 51 e-cigarette pods containing suspicious marijuana oil from three suspects in a crackdown operation. The estimated value of the illegal products seized was as high as 178,500 Philippine pesos ($3,101.39), with each e-cigarette pod selling for up to 3,500 Philippine pesos ($60.81).

 

Currently, the bureau is collaborating with various law enforcement agencies and national government departments to monitor physical and online e-cigarette stores. According to Lovitos, illegal traders often conduct transactions through the "kaliwaan" scheme or online platforms, using private vehicles, packages, drug dens, cheap motels or hotels for delivery, and sell illegal drugs online using social media or courier services.

 

According to a report by the agency, in the first quarter of this year, Philippine law enforcement agencies seized illegal drugs worth approximately 2.5 million Philippine pesos ($43,436.85 USD). From January to March, a total of 375.6643 grams of methamphetamine and 11.884 grams of dried marijuana leaves were confiscated in 25 anti-drug operations, resulting in the successful apprehension of 30 individuals involved in drug-related activities.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

Product | PMI Launches Airport-Exclusive IQOS Skylens Limited Edition, Expanding From Japan’s Narita to Travel Retail Markets in 13 Countries Summary
Product | PMI Launches Airport-Exclusive IQOS Skylens Limited Edition, Expanding From Japan’s Narita to Travel Retail Markets in 13 Countries Summary
Philip Morris International (PMI) has introduced the airport-exclusive limited-edition IQOS ILUMA i PRIME Skylens, the company’s first device created specifically for airport travel retail. Inspired by the world of flight and finished in metallic blue, Skylens debuted at Narita International Airport in Japan before expanding into selected airport duty-free and travel-retail channels across 13 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The product retains the existing IQOS ILUMA i PRIME platform, with differentiation centered on airport exclusivity, design and travel-retail execution rather than a new heating architecture.
PMI
Aug.19
2Firsts Exclusive Analysis | RLX Q2 Revenue Rises 14.8%, Company Takes Control of Western European Distributor and Expands Multi-Category Strategy
2Firsts Exclusive Analysis | RLX Q2 Revenue Rises 14.8%, Company Takes Control of Western European Distributor and Expands Multi-Category Strategy
business accounting for 68.5% of sales. A new controlling investment in a Western European distributor and plans to scale modern oral nicotine pouches point to a broader international strategy spanning channels and multiple product categories.
Special Report
Aug.14
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
As regulators pay closer attention to child safety in nicotine pouches, manufacturers face a practical challenge: how to strengthen child-resistant packaging without unnecessarily reworking products, production lines and regulatory submissions already in place. In a written interview with 2Firsts, Chemular detailed Safeguard’s external packaging approach, its customer-specific testing requirements and possible PMTA pathways. The model remains early-stage, but it offers a new way to think about an increasingly important regulatory and manufacturing issue.
Industry Insight
Sep.19
Philippines BIR Steps Up Illicit Vape Enforcement Ahead of Christmas Shopping
Philippines BIR Steps Up Illicit Vape Enforcement Ahead of Christmas Shopping
The Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue is intensifying enforcement against illicit vape and tobacco products ahead of the Christmas shopping season, directing regional and enforcement offices to strengthen monitoring of production sites, warehouses, distribution channels and retail outlets. The BIR destroyed 240,550 illicit vape products in August with an estimated tax liability of about PHP1.53 billion. A nationwide tax-compliance operation in July also inspected 3,590 businesses involved in tobacco and vapor products.
Regulations
Sep.17 by 2Firsts Perspectives
New Zealand Associate Health Minister Casey Costello Warns on Illicit Cigarettes as Legal Tobacco Sales Halve Over Decade
New Zealand Associate Health Minister Casey Costello Warns on Illicit Cigarettes as Legal Tobacco Sales Halve Over Decade
New Zealand Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said legal tobacco sales in the country have fallen by more than half over the past decade, with sales declining more than 20% in 2025 compared with the previous year. She warned that the decline may not fully reflect lower smoking rates, as increased availability of illicit cigarettes could also be contributing. The government said it would continue strengthening tobacco and vape retail enforcement while monitoring the impact of illicit tobacco on public health and tax revenue.
Aug.26
China’s Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute develops end-to-end heated tobacco analysis to trace aerosol compound origins
China’s Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute develops end-to-end heated tobacco analysis to trace aerosol compound origins
The Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of China National Tobacco Corporation has filed a patent application for an end-to-end method to analyze the migration and transformation of chemical compounds in heated tobacco products. Using GC-Orbitrap/MS non-targeted analysis, the method compares tobacco substrate and aerosol samples to distinguish compounds transferred directly from the substrate from those newly formed during heating, while also calculating transfer rates. In an example involving nine heated tobacco products, the patent identified 17 newly formed thermal decomposition compounds and 38 transferred compounds.
Aug.13