A Constitutional Mandate that Puts ENDS to an End – Political Studies (original) (raw)
The growth of electronic cigarette is briskly shooting up putting its use to popularity over the world. However, the risks and controversies involve are also speedily placing its success to an end. The e-cigarette’s or the Electronic Nicotine Delivery System’s (ENDS) production, marketing, sales, and usage here in the Philippines are proposing by the government on an abrupt stoppage. Moreover, there are more countries that already have laws banning e-cigarettes.
The Proposed Law
Philippine Food and Drug Administration headed by the FDA Product Research and Standards Development Division made a public announcement that they will have to stop the three-month provisional period of ENDS licensing. In the Administrative Order (AO) under the Department of Health (DOH), the regulation pertaining to the regulation of ENDS is included.
Administrative Order 2019-0007
The AO mandated by the DOH requires the ENDS manufacturers and even distributors to register and acquire specific licenses for their product. Those companies under the AO will have to take the risk of regulatory action from the authorized governing agencies in case they will not comply in registration. Under this law, the agency are expecting around 150 companies handling ENDS to get registered. However, FDA stated that:
Some companies are still expecting not to comply with this new policy. It is because once they did, they will also need to abide by strict regulations including ENDS substances banning and packaging policies.
ENDS Reduction
In the United States, the government are commanding stringent ordinances regarding ENDS due to the purported death of six individual from vaping. Based on the World Health Organization (WHO), the ENDS regulation give emphasis on the potential dangerous reduction of it. This is through assisting tobacco smokers to quit smoking.
Including in the goal of ENDS reduction is the imposing of additional tax to it and on its e-juices like the bazooka sour straws. This will make the product less affordable for millions of Philippine smokers. With this, teens and even adult smokers won’t afford to buy it.
Additional Analysis
The agency concluded that there is no final evidence that ENDS will completely guide smokers quit the smoking habit. There are even researches noting that ENDS have negative effect to people’s health. Regardless of these studies, the agency will still permits ENDS, notwithstanding in a more controlled way.