The Department of Health (DoH) admitted that it has yet to conduct a study on the harmful effects of vape use.

The Philippine Electronic Cigarette Industry Association (PECIA) has appealed to the House of Representatives not to ban vapes as thousands of Filipinos depend on electronic cigarettes for their livelihood.

PECIA president Joey Dulay made the appeal during Monday’s first joint hearing of the House Committee on Trade and Industry and Health on the 15 bills that seek to regulate electronic cigarettes.

“We hope that the honorable committee will take into account the tens of thousands of Filipinos who depend on the e-cigarette industry for their livelihood,” said Dulay.

“We are not big businesses, we are not like multi-national companies that still have other countries where they can sell if these products are banned in the Philippines,” added Dulay.

He said members of PECIA, which is composed of more than 250 legitimate businessmen, store owners, suppliers and manufacturers of electronic cigarettes are “small entrepreneurs,” who only want to share their experience with e-cigarettes to “adult smokers.”

While he supports regulation of vape, he also told the committee that “strict” regulation might benefit illegal manufacturers of e-cigarettes.

“Those who sell defective products are fly by night operations with no physical store or business permit.”

“We fear that if we ban or strictly regulate e-cigarettes then these fly by night and other black market actors will triumph.”

“They do not need to follow government rules becasue they do not have anything to lose and will earn a lot by selling to everyone including children.”

Strictly regulating e-cigarettes, he said, might also benefit cigarette manufacturers.

Meanwhile, during the hearing, the Department of Health (DoH) admitted that it has yet to conduct a study on the harmful effects of vape use.

Its representative, Ma. Fatima de Guzman of the disease prevention and control bureau told the panels that the DoH will begin to conduct a study in 2020 and it will take them around a year before they issue its findings.

“As of late this year, DoH and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) have submitted proposals for the conduct of local studies on e-cigarettes. These studies will be conducted next year, 2020.”

DoH Secretary Fransisco Duque III earlier said he supports the regulation of the use of vape instead of policies banning it, saying there has to be solid scientific basis for banning it.

Recently, a case of vaping-related injury was reported in Central Visayas. This has prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to order the arrest of those who use vape public.