Philippines proposes to ban open e-cigarettes

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has proposed a draft policy to ban the use, manufacture, import and distribution of open e-cigarette equipment, cigarettes and e-cigarette liquids, and is seeking opinions from stakeholders on the proposal. The move is based on consumer concerns about the possible health risks posed by uncertified and modifiable products, and will also suspend product safety license approvals for these products under current laws. Under the proposal, open cartridges (fillable cartridges that allow users to manually add e-liquid) and e-liquid will be removed from regulated markets. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has a limited public consultation period on the department's draft administrative order, and the deadline for soliciting opinions is early February 2026.