BAGUIO City Councilor Joel Alangsab reiterated the ban on smoking and vaping, saying rules on vaping is the same for smoking.
Baguio recently amended Ordinance 8 of 2008, which is anchored on the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Local Government Code of 1991, the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999, Civil Service Commission Memorandum circular (MC) 17, 2009, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board MC 2009-036, and the Civil Service Commission-Department of Health joint MC 2010-01.
"If the vape shops are within 100 meters away from a school and other prohibited places as defined in the ordinance... In the first place, they should not be allowed to sell anywhere cause their shops are not issued certificate of product registration by FDA and thus they should not be given permits or license to sell," Alangsab said.
He said that at present, vape shops are being tolerated to sell as long as their shops are not within the prohibited places and there should be no vaping inside their shops as it is not a designated smoking/vaping area.
"As to crackdown, let's see what further actions will DOH (Department of Health) through Secretary (Francisco) Duque or our elected officials in the Lower and Upper House will do considering the coming out of reports and studies as regards the negative effect of vaping," Alangsab said.
Recently, the Baguio Health Department (BHD) reminded the public to adhere to the ordinance banning the use of e-cigarettes or vape in public places.
Dr. Donnabel Tuvera of the Baguio Health Department said that recent studies indicate that the use of e-cigarettes causes cancer.
Aside from banning smoking in public, selling or distributing of tobacco products, or e-cigarettes and vapes, as well as posting, displaying through posters, leaflets in point-of-sale establishments were prohibited, or where minors frequent, are not allowed.