MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has censured two vape companies for coming out with online posts saying they were fully compliant with government regulations.
The DTI said FLARE came up with a post on social media falsely claiming compliance with regulations.
Health advocates have warned of the alleged excessive formaldehyde content in FLARE products.
A report dated Sept. 24 issued by Webb, a DTI-recognized testing agency, showed that formaldehyde content in FLARE’s vape products was as high as 32.1 mg/l, far exceeding the maximum standard of 22 mg/l.
The results debunked FLARE’s claim that it strictly adheres to the highest safety and quality standards and that its products contain only standard levels of formaldehyde.
Another vape company, SHFT, reportedly shared unauthorized photos of DTI staff to make it appear that it is licensed to conduct business.
“The DTI disputes misleading social media posts from vape companies FLARE and SHFT. These posts misrepresent the department’s role and violate consumer protection laws,” the agency said.
Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines prohibits false, deceptive or misleading advertisements, according to DTI.
Under Department Administrative Order No. 2 of the DTI, false, misleading information and concealing material facts are also prohibited.
The DTI said only these brands with valid Philippine Standard licenses are authorized to sell vapes: Don Bars, Kliq, One Bar, Phantom Vape, Relx, Tomoro, Truez, Vagend and X-Vape.
The DTI urged vape businesses to secure PS licenses to ensure that their products meet safety and quality standards before being distributed.
The DTI’s Office for the Special Mandate on Vape previously found FLARE guilty of failing to comply with the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act.