No ban, just regulation for e-cigarettes, shisha

AFTER months of deliberation and scrutiny, the City Council of Davao on Tuesday decided to just regulate and not ban the use of e-cigarettes and shisha in the city.

This developed after Davao City's legislative body approved on second reading the city's New Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance.

Narcisa Barcelo, local legislative officer of the City Council, told Sun.Star Davao on Wednesday that the City Council agreed not to ban e-cigarettes and shisha stemmed out from the proponents' failure to establish the dangers that shisha and e-cigarettes on peoples' health.

Among the proponents of the New Anti-Smoking Ordinance are Dr. Domilyn Villarreiz, chair of the city's Anti-Smoking Task Force, and Councilor Tomas Monteverde IV.

As early as 2002, Davao City Government started its campaign for a tobacco-free Davao City when the City Council then passed the original version of the Anti-Smoking Ordinance No. 043-02 and former Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte issued an Executive (EO) Number 06 in 2009 to further intensify the ordinance.

Among the main highlights of the proposed new version of the Anti-Smoking Ordinance is the regulation of other products that contain nicotine as its main ingredients.

During the Tuesday's City Council regular session, several personalities from the City Health Office (CHO) were invited to shed light on the health issues of e-cigarettes and shisha.

Jasper Huang, one of the distributors of e-cigarettes in Davao City, explained before the council why e-cigarettes should not be banned.

Along with Huang was Jefferson Eisenbath who said that e-cigarettes helped him against his addiction with genuine cigarettes.

For Eisenbath, e-cigarettes helped him cut his smoking habit.

Barcelo said the proposed new version of the Anti-Smoking Ordinance will be subjected for third and final reading in the council's session next week.

"Pero (but) anytime, pwede paman na i-recall sa mga councilors kung naa silay dili mauyonan ani (the council can recall the ordinance if they deem it necessary)," Barcelo said. JOP