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December 6, 2021

Jurisdiction over e-cigarettes: Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri proposes a solution to break the impasse between Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senator Pia Cayetano over the proposal to transfer the regulation of vapor products from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). "We can vote on it," Zubiri suggested, as Recto and Cayetano debated on Senate Bill No. 2239 in the plenary session Monday, December 6, 2021. The majority floor leader said the Senate can decide as a body on whether or not to transfer the jurisdiction of vapor products. SBN 2239 proposes to regulate the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and communication of vapor and heated tobacco products. Defending the measure, Recto said the FDA is "biased" against e-cigarettes, while Cayetano objected to the proposed transfer of regulation to the DTI. (Voltaire Domingo/Senate PRIB)

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