ILOILO City – Vape shops and online sellers in this city could face intensified government scrutiny as authorities move to prevent electronic cigarettes from becoming a discreet channel for illegal drugs following the seizure of liquid marijuana allegedly intended for vaping.
The Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST) is pushing for regular joint inspections involving drug enforcement, police, trade and health regulatory agencies, warning that illicit substances concealed in vaping devices can be difficult to detect during ordinary inspections.
“The risk is there because vaping devices are easy to use, but for enforcement, it can be difficult to determine what is actually inside the device or the liquid,” ICAST executive director Iñigo Garingalao said.
The proposal comes after a Sept. 21 buy-bust operation in which an individual was arrested in connection with the alleged sale of liquid marijuana for vaping.
Authorities said the suspect reportedly recorded an unboxing of the liquid marijuana before the transaction.
Garingalao said the case exposes an enforcement challenge because ICAST’s mandate is primarily focused on anti-smoking and vaping regulations, while the presence of an illegal drug requires specialized expertise and intervention from law enforcement agencies.
“If the device contains liquid marijuana, that is already an illegal substance. Our personnel need specialized training and proper coordination with other agencies so they will know how to properly identify and handle these cases,” Garingalao said.
ICAST is therefore proposing the creation or strengthening of a multi-agency task force that would regularly inspect establishments selling vaping products.
The inspections could bring together ICAST, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and Philippine National Police (PNP).
But Garingalao warned that enforcement cannot stop at brick-and-mortar vape shops because vaping products, including potentially illicit e-liquids, are also being marketed through online platforms.
“We should not only look at the physical stores. We also have to look at online sales because there are products being sold there that may not be properly traced,” Garingalao said.
He said agencies such as the DTI should strengthen surveillance of online marketplaces and social media-based sellers where untraceable or improperly regulated vaping products could be offered.
Periodic inspections, he added, could help authorities detect violations earlier and deter the distribution of products that may endanger minors and other users.
“We need to be proactive. We cannot wait for another case to happen before we act,” Garingalao said.
ICAST inspectors have not yet confiscated a vaping device containing liquid marijuana during their regular anti-smoking operations in the city.
Garingalao, however, cautioned against interpreting the absence of such seizures as proof that the threat does not exist.
“Even if we have not confiscated one during our regular operations, we have to recognize that the possibility is there. That is why we need preventive measures and coordination among agencies,” Garingalao said.
He said the ease with which vaping products can be concealed poses a particular concern for young people and requires authorities to adapt their enforcement strategies.
“We have to protect our children. The technology is there, and the products are easy to conceal, so our enforcement also has to adapt,” he said.
Garingalao stressed that ICAST cannot tackle the issue alone because determining whether a vape device contains an illegal substance requires expertise beyond ordinary anti-smoking enforcement.
Closer coordination among drug enforcement, health, trade and police authorities, he said, would allow agencies to determine the proper response when suspected illegal substances are discovered in vaping products.
ICAST is expected to pursue discussions with the concerned agencies on possible joint inspections and stronger monitoring measures./PN
