Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday said he will be pushing for the creation of an inter-agency task force to lead the fight against the widespread illicit trade of excisable goods, particularly cigarettes and vape products.
“If we don’t arrest this problem, more children will start using e-cigarettes. We need to change the consumption habits of the youth because this is what will kill them,” he said.
Gatchalian emphasized the need for stronger coordination among government agencies to prevent the youth from getting hooked on vaping.
The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, said he will file a resolution calling for the formation of the task force, which will be led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Under the proposed measure, the DTI will also be tasked with conducting a market analysis to help develop evidence-based policies targeting the illegal sale of vapes and cigarettes.
Citing data, Gatchalian noted that over 120,000 minors have already started using vape products despite having no prior experience with traditional tobacco.
He said this trend shows that many young people are being introduced to nicotine through vapes, not cigarettes.
“We need to sound the alarm bells and we hope to secure multi-year funding so we can create sustainability,” Gatchalian said.