During the hybrid Senate hearing on Monday, Dec. 13, senators rejected the proposed amendment of Sen. Pia Cayetano to Senate Bill No. 2239 or the Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act, which will change the proposed minimum allowable age — from 18 to 21 years old — for the purchase, sale, and use of vaporized nicotine products.
Sen. Ralph Recto, sponsor of the bill, submitted the proposal to a vote after saying that it does not make sense that at the majority age of 18, one can smoke and drink but barred from using less harmful products.
The amendment was rejected with 10 yes votes, 11 no votes, and 1 abstention.
Cayetano had argued that if the objective of the bill is to find the balance between allowing the older, mature smokers to shift to vaporized nicotine products and keeping it out of the hands of the young, the age requirement should be 21, which is also the age indicated in the Sin Tax Law.
“By lowering it to three years, we are opening the floodgates to the younger people to adopt this habit. If in fact, the real objective of the companies that are selling these products is to help the older generation to shift and not to lure new generation of e-cig users… if it is not their objective to lure this younger population, then I would submit that we would be able to honor the existing law and to keep it at the age of 21,” Cayetano said.
Also at the hearing, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III suggested that Section 20 of the proposed law be made clear that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has exclusive jurisdiction over vape and heated tobacco products.
Pimentel said the provision is being limited by Section 17 and other paragraphs where participation of other agencies is mentioned.
Recto stressed that Section 20 states the exclusive jurisdiction of DTI over any and all issues relating to vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products. Section 17, on the other hand, talks about product standards requirements, for example, in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration.
