House TWG approves vaping regulation despite health panel chair’s ‘no’ vote

A joint panel Technical Working Group (TWG) of the House of Representatives approved on Thursday, August 27, a substitute bill seeking regulation on e-cigarettes and vaping products despite a dissenting voice in the chair of the House health committee.

The House committees on trade and industry and on health voted overwhelmingly to pass a draft substitute bill entitled, “An Act Regulating the Manufacture, Use, Sale, Packaging, Distribution, and Communication of Electronic Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS/ENNDS) and Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) and for other purposes,” otherwise known as the “Non-Combustible Nicotine Delivery Systems Regulation Act of 2020.”

But Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, chairperson of the health committee, led a handful of members of the health panel in opposing the substitute bill.

“The draft substitute measure which was prepared by the TWG does not advance the constitutional policy of protecting and promoting the right to health of the people and instilling health consciousness among them,” she said.

“I cannot, in any way, support a legislation that pretends to be a health measure for all but which, in fact, gives primordial consideration to trade and commercial interests of the few”, she explained.

“I have tried to advance an evidence-informed health legislation that will regulate the manufacture, importation, sale, distribution, use, advertisement, promotion and sponsorship of ENDS/ENNDS and HTPs through House Bill 3049, which I filed to ensure that no one, especially children, women and the elderly will be exposed to emissions of these harmful products,” she said.

“Unfortunately, and contrary to its declaration of policy, the substitute bill by the TWG does not in any manner promote a healthy environment and protect the citizens from any hazards of electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems and heated tobacco products,” Tan said.

As a health advocate and medical professional, Tan underscored the need to strictly regulate ENDS/ENDDS and HTPs as they are designed to mimic conventional cigarette smoking that makes initiation of non-smokers, especially the youth, to nicotine-dependency a cause for concern.

She advocated against the use of products containing nicotine, which poses potential harm to youth with its addictive and teratogenic properties and proposes the adoption of 21 years old as the legal age to buy these products.

Tan proposed restricting age sales, prohibiting minor use, and policing marketing rules to ensure that promotions do not target minors as well as undermine smoking cessation messages.

But despite her objections, the House committee on trade and industry voted 46 in favor, 5 against with 2 abstention, while 41 members of committee on health voted in favor with 7 voting against the substitute bill.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)