Philippine health authorities want to regulate or even ban vaping.

The Philippine Department of Health is advocating for a total ban on vaping products amid rising nicotine consumption among youth. If a complete ban proves impossible, authorities recommend limiting e-cigarettes to tobacco flavor only to reduce their appeal to minors.[1]. Several senators support this strengthening, in the face of circumventions of the law but above all for consistency with the rest of Southeast Asia.

Growing concerns about youth addiction

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already warned about the increasing nicotine addiction linked to e-cigarettes among children and adolescents. In the Philippine Senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed her concern about the rise in vaping among young people, some of whom are between 13 and 15 years old. She emphasized that the attractiveness of the products, their low cost, and their widespread availability, both in physical stores and online, are contributing to this increase.

Senator Pia Cayetano cited a study by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), showing that e-cigarette use among adolescents in the Philippines had reached an alarming rate of 39.9 million e-cigarettes in 2023, compared to 0.08 million e-cigarettes in 2015.[2].

The ministry reiterates that while tobacco products are linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and lung conditions, vaping products are not without risk either, exposing users to strong addiction and already established respiratory and even cardiovascular risks. In young people, developmental disorders affecting brain function, attention, memory, and self-control, with risks of anxiety and depression, may also occur.

A reassessed issue as a public health priority, within a regional and global dynamic

The Senate is currently examining several bills aimed at revising the regulations governing vaping products and heated tobacco. Discussions focus in particular on strengthening measures to protect young people, an issue further compounded by the absence and ineffectiveness of online age verification systems. The legislative changes would also aim to transfer regulatory authority over the sector to health authorities rather than to trade bodies.

The stated objective of the regulation is to promote public health and reduce overall exposure to nicotine. It also aims to close certain regulatory loopholes exploited by manufacturers, retailers, and importers. For example, some retailers claim that their storefront is part of their business premises to display advertisements for tobacco and nicotine products in public spaces.[3].

Dr. Dominic Maddumba, acting director of Directorate III of the Health Promotion Bureau at the Ministry of Health, also mentioned that, within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), eight member states have already banned vaping: Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Only three member states still allow its use., the Philippines And Indonesia, Both countries were strongly encouraged by public health experts to follow the ban. Malaysia, for its part, plans to ban it sometime in 2026.

Globally, a growing number of countries are imposing major restrictions on vaping due to rising consumption, particularly among young people, and a greater understanding of its health effects. According to the latest available estimates, at least 46 countries worldwide have completely banned the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes, and 20 have banned or strictly regulated attractive flavors, excluding tobacco.[4], Belgium being the most recent country.

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[1]Superable RAM, DOH pushes total ban on vapes, Manila Standard, published May 6, 2026, accessed May 7, 2026

[2]Hannah L. Torregoza, Senators back DOH's call for total ban on vape products, Manila Bulletin, published May 7, 2026, accessed the same day

[3]Victoria Tulad, Hontiveros says safeguards in vape use 'not enough' as DOH proposes total ban, ABS-CBN News, published May 6, 2026, accessed May 7, 2026

[4]Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, E-CIGARETTE BAN & REGULATION: Global Status as of May 2025, Published on June 4, 2025, accessed on May 7, 2026

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