Cayetano calls on DU30 to veto vape bill
ADVOCATING against the use of vape, former Speaker and Taguig City Reprsentative Allan Peter Cayetano is making a last-ditch effort to stop the measure from enactment into law.
In a statement, Cayetano appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act or Vape Bill, saying it is dangerous to the Filipino people.
“Ang responsibilidad naman talaga ng gobyerno is to do good and prevent evil. Basta may possibility ng addiction, mapa-alak man yan, sugal yan o sigarilyo, dapat nire-regulate yan ng gobyerno,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano questioned the assertion that vape and e-cigarettes can wean smokers away from cigarettes.
The problem with that argument is, why lower the age from 21 to 18? So that must mean, these companies want to get young people addicted to cigarettes and nicotine products. This is a new wave or generation of nicotine users,” he added.
Lowering the minimum age restriction for the sale of vape products to 18 from 21, according to Cayetano, puts nicotine use within reach of the age range that is most susceptible to its negative developmental effects.
He added that studies on the effects of nicotine exposure to teens and young adults indicate possible links to problems in brain development.
Cayetano also said the government should not be promoting vape and e-cigarettes because the costs for rehabilitation and recovery are high.
The former Speaker pointed out that at least 59 medical associations in the country have appealed to President Duterte to thumb down the proposed law.
He slammed a provision in the bill that seeks to transfer the regulation of vaporized nicotine products from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Cayetano warned that if the regulatory functions are moved to the DTI, the Philippines will become a laughing stock as other nations strengthen their regulations through their respective food and drugs administrations.
The former House Speaker has come out strongly against the Vape Bill in the last few weeks, particularly as the legislation hurdled the bicameral conference committee near the end of January 2022.
