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“The world is watching as the Philippine Senate looks set to approve the most progressive and proportionately risky vaping legislation in Asia Pacific. We hope other countries in the region will then follow suit,” said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).

Last May, the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines passed the Non-Combustible Nicotine Delivery Systems Regulation Act, also known as House Bill 9007, which aims to regulate the sale and manufacture of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Co-authored by 154 people in the 300-person chamber of the House of Representatives, the bill aims to prevent sales to minors.

A welcome turnaround

Peter Dator, president of the consumer group Vapers PH and a CAPHRA member, described the bill as a massive shift from previous prohibitionist approaches and proposed bans, and hopes the Senate will pass the legislation in September.

Loucas highlighted that the hard work of local consumers and THR advocates paid off. “Consumer advocates in the Philippines have worked constructively with legislators and officials. They promoted the regulation of e-cigarettes as a consumer product and advocated for an 18-year-old purchase age. They successfully argued that adult smokers who wish to quit smoking need reasonable access to safer alternatives. Also, product safety standards were crucial,” she said.

Dator pointed out that given that nearly 90,000 Filipinos per year die from smoking-related diseases annually, he believes that the majority of Senators will consider the importance of this regulation. “It needs to pass to ensure millions of Filipino smokers continue to have access to safer nicotine products. At the same time, existing vapers must retain access to their product of choice so that they do not return to cigarettes,” he said.

Loucas added that she hopes other Asian governments, whose countries suffer the highest smoking rates worldwide, will follow this example and adopt sensible Tobacco Harm Reduction policies. “This step will only strengthen Philippine independence as it removes the last vestiges of foreign influence on its public health policies. In recent years, we have seen American billionaires and their so-called philanthropic foundations fuel anti-vaping sentiment worldwide. It's clear that the Philippines has been targeted. As this important legislation approaches its final hurdle, external pressure will again mount, but Senators can be assured that their positive action will undoubtedly save thousands of Filipino lives,” she said.

Pro-bill campaign

A number of local groups have praised the bill's passage and have launched a successful viral campaign, "We Vape, We Vote!" which calls on President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the Vape Bill into law.

In a letter to the President, the groups: Vapers PH, Vaper Ako, Smoke-Free Conversations PH, Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP), Philippine E-cigarette Industry Association (PECIA), Quit For Good, Heated Equipment as an Alternative to Traditional Smoking Philippines (HEATS), PROVAPE, Philippine Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, Inc. and Consumer Choice Philippines, pleaded for their voices to be heard. “With more and more positive scientific evidence combined with our life-changing experiences, our determination grows stronger that vaping saves lives! We sincerely hope you will consider our humble plea, Mr. President, and sign the Vape Bill into law.”

So, that's the article for this occasion. Hopefully, an article like this can be new insight for you vapers. Of course, if you want to share and gain more insight about vape, you can come directly to the nearest Vapeboss retail store. There, our Vaporista will assist you and provide a lot of information about the world of vape. Also, if you're in need of vape supplies and find it difficult to buy them, you can contact our retail WA for purchases with a COD system. Because Vapeboss is the most complete and trusted vape store since 2014, so whatever your vape needs, they will definitely be available there.

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Keep Calm and Vape Like a Boss and Always stay safe while vaping and always obey health protocols in the current pandemic. Have a nice day Bigboss!