Vendors of cigarettes without graphic warnings face up to P2-M fines

Manufacturers, importers, or retailers of tobacco products may face fines of up to P2 million should they distribute packs without graphic health warnings beginning on Friday, Ivan Mayrina reported on 24 Oras on Thursday.

Under Republic Act 10643 or the Graphic Health Warning Law, an image depicting the harmful effects of tobacco must be printed on the front and back packaging of all tobacco products.

Packs without the images will be confiscated and the manufacturer and retailers of the products will face fines and possible jail time.

Manufacturers, importers, and distributors must pay P500,000 on their first offense; P1,000,000 on their second offense; and P2,000,000 on their third offense and must serve up to five years in jail.

Retailers who sell tobacco products with no graphic health warnings will be fined P10,000 on the first offense; P50,000 on the second offense; and P100,000 on the third offense in addition to serving a jail time of up to a year.

Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association President Steven Cua said their association of supermarkets is willing and ready for the strict implementation of the law.

"Kailangan kasi kung hindi, pati kami matatamaan, pati retailer matatamaan. We're asking all retailers to heed this warning na bukas na mag-uumpisa na, na kailangan lahat may graphic sign which show the symptoms of excessive smoking," Cua said.

The Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be partners in implementing the law.

A series of commercials focused on the health and economic harms of smoking to families began airing in October ahead of RA 10643's implementation to further the DOH's anti-smoking campaign.

The Philippines was cited for passing laws against tobacco industry interference in the 2016 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) report on the implementation of the World Health Organization's (WHOs) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

However, the country still has the second highest number of smokers in the ASEAN region, with 17,300,000 active smokers as of 2014. —Rie Takumi/JST, GMA News