Pasay bans vaping in public places

November 11, 2019

The local government of Pasay City has banned the use of vaping or e-cigarettes in public places.

In a statement Monday, Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano said they will strictly impose City Ordinance 6061 which regulates use of vaping devices throughout Pasay City.

“It is high time to impose stricter measures on these substances to protect the youth and the general public against the ill-effects of cigarette smoking and vaping,” said Rubiano, who has been advocating stringent health measures.

In approving City Ordinance 6061, the Pasay City Council led by Vice Mayor Noel Del Rosario banned the use of e-cigarettes indoors such as places of working, hospitals, other healthcare centers, government offices, educational facilities and recreational facilities as well as public conveyances.

In all other enclosed places  open to the general public and private workplaces, the use of vaping devices will be allowed if the owner of such places informs the public that e-cigarette is allowed and there is a designated vaping area.

It also prohibits vape shop owners to sell e-cigarette products to, or by minors.

The ordinance provides a “no contest provision” intended to decongest Pasay City Jail.

The “no contest provision” allows violators of City Ordinance 6061 to pay voluntarily the minimum administrative fine of P1,000 or render a community service of six hours in a public place supervised by the barangay chairman.

The following penalties for violators of City Ordinance 6061 are:

First conviction – fine of P2,000 to be paid in the Office of the City Treasurer or render 12 hours of community service as street sweeper at the option of the offender in a public place supervised by the barangay chairman of the venue where the violator was arrested.

Second conviction – fine of P3,000 or 18 hours of community service as street sweeper at the option of the offender in a public place supervised by the barangay chairman of the venue where the violator was arrested.

Third Conviction – fine of P4,000 or 24 hours of community service as street sweeper at the option of the offender in a public place supervised by the barangay chairman of the venue where the violator was arrested.

In all instances, the barangay chairman shall issue a certificate that the violator has completed the required number of hours of community service and the Pasay City police station commander shall monitor the record of conviction of the violator.

Based on international studies like the one made by America’s first research university, John Hopkins Medicine, it concluded that regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes are both “bad to people’s health.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced a specific code for vaping-related illnesses in its International Classification of Diseases. ICD-10 is an extensive code system that helps document and compile cases of different diseases across the world. Ella Dionisio/DMS