THE Department of Trade Industry (DTI) is not yet ready to join the bandwagon calling for the ban on disposable vapes as it wants more time to study the proposal.

“The proposal is under study,” DTI Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles told the media over the weekend.

She said the department is seriously looking at the proposal of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto but nevertheless acknowledged “problems” with regards to disposable vapes.

Nograles pointed out that one problem they see is that disposable vapes have many parts or related products, which the DTI could not fully examine or assess for lack of adequate vape-testing facilities.

She said this is the reason why the department is currently asking for more funding to establish new facilities or upgrade existing lab-testing centers.

DTI’s product testing units are not equipped to test vapor and e-cigarettes products.

The DTI official further noted that compliance of vape players is expected to further improve once the Vape Law takes into full effect in June 2024.

Under the Vape Law or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Product Regulation Act, the DTI is the main agency mandated to implement the law and regulate vapor and e-cigarettes products.

In the Senate, Senators Pia Cayetano, JV Ejercito, and Christopher ”Bong” Go have expressed support to the proposal.

Cayetano, who advocated against the passage of Republic Act 11900 or the Vape Law, emphasized the adverse health and environmental effects of these disposable vapes.

“I support the banning of disposable vapes…Vapes are very dangerous…Do not buy the argument that it is safer for you or healthier. There is no scientific proof yet that it is safe for you,” Cayetano, vice chairperson of the Senate health committee, said.

“This disposable is even worse for the environment because you throw it away after using it, similar to the single-use plastic bag, right? The young people already know. The young people on their own are doing their part in not contributing to the garbage,” she added.

Ejercito, who is also a vice chairman of the committee, also backed the proposal, noting the Department of Finance’s position that most disposable vapes are unregistered and do not pay excise taxes, which is mandated under the law.

“Hindi pala nagbabayad ng tax. That’s already a blatant violation. Kumbaga smuggled lahat yan…Talagang dapat i-ban na yan. Unang-una, it’s unhealthy tapos hindi pa nagbabayad ng tax,” Ejercito said.

Go, for his part, urged the DTI to study possible measures to ensure that the sale of vapes complies with Philippine laws and regulations.

“Most of these are sold online, without assurance that they are not being sold to minors. They are highly unregulated, and we do not know if these products are safe to use, potentially risking our people’s health. Moreover, given its unregulated sale online which are mostly not taxed, such practice deprives the government of its rightful revenue,” said Go, who chairs the Senate health committee.

Earlier last week, Recto floated the possibility of banning the sale of disposable vapes in the Philippines citing revenue leakage and its impact to health, especially to the youth.

The proposal immediately earned support from the Department of Health (DOH), emphasizing that all vape products in general result in significant health risks, including e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), nicotine addiction, and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

A disposable vape is a non-rechargeable device that comes pre-charged and pre-filled with liquid. It does not require recharging or refilling.