Men vaping (PNA file photo by Joan Bondoc)
MANILA – There is no legal obstacle for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to exercise jurisdiction over tobacco (heated and novel) products, including vapes, a health group said Wednesday.
HealthJustice made the statement following the decision of the Supreme Court affirming the regulatory power of the FDA over health aspects of tobacco products.
HealthJustice is a group of experts bridging the gap between health and law to empower Filipinos make healthy choices.
“The Supreme Court decision is a landmark triumph in our battle to reduce tobacco consumption and its deadly consequences to Filipinos, especially the youth,” HealthJustice board member and former Health Secretary Jaime Galvez Tan said.
“The decision removes any doubt and obstacle for the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Association to continue their mandate of protecting the health of our people and stopping the destruction caused by the tobacco industry,” he added.
Tan noted that tobacco consumption caused more than 110,000 deaths every year in the country.
In addition to these deaths, the country suffers more than PHP215 billion in economic losses annually.
The efforts of the DOH and the FDA to regulate tobacco products in view of their grave and serious consequences to Filipinos’ health was challenged by the tobacco Industry.
Earlier, the Philippine Tobacco Institute, Inc. (PTI) challenged before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Las Piñas the issuance of the DOH and the FDA to regulate the health aspect of tobacco products.
The RTC, through Acting Presiding Judge Romulo Villanueva ruled in favor of the PTI, declaring the issuance of the DOH and the FDA void.
On July 13, 2021, the SC reversed the RTC decision and upheld the FDA’s regulatory authority over the health aspects of tobacco products under Republic Act No. 9711.
On July 23, 2024, the SC junked the motions for reconsideration filed by the PTI and Albay First District Representative Edcel Lagman.
The institute argued that the Inter-Agency Committee Tobacco has sole authority over tobacco products and its health aspects.
The SC decision was penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. (PNA)
