DTI to crack down on vape products without clearance sticker

MANILA, Philippines— The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will begin cracking down on vape products without proper markings in September.

According to DTI Asec. Amanda Nograles, on Wednesday, the agency passed an administrative order with more technical regulations.

Aside from cracking down on vapes being sold to minors, the DTI said that vape products must have either a Philippine Standard (PS) Quality or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker.

“Pagdating po ng September 2024 kailangan po lahat po talaga either may PS mark or ICC sticker,” said Nograles on the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing.

(By September 2024, everything needs to have either a PS mark or an ICC sticker.)

Nograles said that traders should begin selling out their stocks until then.

READ: House passes on final reading bill regulating vapes, heated tobacco products

On top of the administrative order, the DTI is also preparing its personnel for stricter regulation.

The DTI said it held immersive training on the vaping law with key DTI regional counterparts in Northern Luzon and Muslim Mindanao.

“Through proactive measures such as stringent nationwide enforcement and comprehensive training, the DTI remains unwavering in its commitment to consumer welfare and fair trade,” Pascual said. — With reports from Moss R. Laygo, INQUIRER.net trainee