The Department of Health (DOH) and health experts is again pushing for a total ban of vape in the Philippines due to danger to health.

"Isinusulong ng DOH at health experts na ipagbawal na ang vape sa Pilipinas dahil sa panganib nito sa kalusugan,” the DOH said.

The department said vape is banned in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Lao PDR, Brunei, and Myanmar.

These countries specifically proihibited bringing, using, selling and making vape.

While th esaid product is not yet prohibited in the Philippines, the DOH is strongly urging the public not to use vape and cigarette.

Earlier, the DOH has made several pushes to ban vapes and most recently, in March 2026 and November 2025, it formally pushed for a total nationwide ban, citing rising youth usage and the country's first recorded death linked to e-cigarette or vape-associated lung injury (EVALI).

In late 2019, the DOH pushed for an absolute ban during the initial reports of EVALI in the country.

But policies ultimately shifted toward regulation rather than a total prohibition until the recent aggressive push for a comprehensive ban.

Even Congress has split reactions to the DOH push for a total nationwide vape ban, with the Senate actively initiating legislative reviews while other factions focus heavily on enforcement rather than changing current laws.

The reactions from lawmakers during recent Senate hearings break down into distinct legislative positions: active Senate support for a total ban.

Several prominent senators have backed the DOH's call, using public hearings to evaluate a transition from regulation to a complete prohibition.

For one is Senator Pia Cayetano who expressed support for exploring all options up to an outright ban, pointing out that eight of the countries Southeast Asian neighbors (including Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) have already implemented total bans to protect children.

Even former health secretaries and advocacy groups are putting direct pressure on lawmakers to treat vape products as "poison" and fast-track an absolute prohibition.

However, instead of an outright ban, some lawmakers are prioritizing the immediate closing of legislative loopholes.

Senate Committee on Health Chairperson Risa Hontiveros has led hearings focusing on the massive failure of youth protection.

She noted that current safeguards under the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act (RA 11900) are severely lacking, especially regarding loose age-gating mechanisms for online sales and social media transactions.

Lawmakers are also pushing to strip regulatory power from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and return it to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), alongside banning enticing flavors targeting youth.