INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Monday that it has suspended the sale, manufacture, importation, and distribution of vape products by the prominent brand Flava in the local market.
According to the DTI, a preliminary order halting the trade of Flava Corp.’s vape products was issued on March 15, based on the e-cigarette firm’s continued violations of Republic Act No. 11900, more commonly known as the Vape Law.
The DTI cited, in particular, the company’s noncompliance with product communication restrictions, including the use of flavor descriptors and celebrities.
Strong warning
“This order serves as a strong warning to manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to not engage in illegal acts of trading illicit vapes and other violative products,” Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said in a statement.
The DTI highlighted Section 12 of the Vape Law, which bans the sale of vape products with flavor descriptors targeting minors.
These include making references to fruits, candy brands, desserts, or cartoon characters to make the product more attractive to those below 18 years old.
READ: DTI reports confiscation of over 18,000 vape products worth P5.5M
The same section also bans the use of celebrities in endorsing or advertising vape products.
Prior to the order, the DTI said the prosecution unit of its Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau had filed a formal charge against Flava and co-respondent Lilac Vape Shop over allegations they used celebrity endorsers in social media posts and during a product launch in December 2023.
Flava’s new product line was also found to use prohibited flavor descriptors such as taro ice cream, melon lychee, watermelon, iced chocolate, gummy bears and bubblegum, according to the DTI.
On March 5, the House of Representatives’ ways and means committee also tackled the discovery by the Bureau of Customs in October 2023 of billions of pesos worth of Flava vape products stored in a Valenzuela warehouse.
According to the DTI, the products appeared to be illegally imported and untaxed. INQ