The Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration support the Department of Finance’s (DOF) proposal to ban unregistered online selling of sin products such as alcohol, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and other novel tobacco products. 
 
This initiative is consistent with our effort towards a comprehensive prohibition on all forms of advertising, promotions, and sponsorships by the alcohol and tobacco industries. The State must exercise its duty to protect the health of the people especially of teenagers who can potentially use online platforms to freely access these products and pick up the habit of smoking and/or alcohol drinking in the long term. 
 
Consumer safeguards such as seller registration, product quality, and safety mechanisms to validate recipients of the products are essential in preventing transactions to minors. Expanding this regulatory purview to cover the online selling of these sin products is a progressive step in protecting the health of Filipinos. The DOH and FDA will collaborate with the DOF, Department of Trade and Industry, and other government agencies to develop a comprehensive regulatory framework to allow only legitimate and registered sellers and place appropriate safeguards to protect vulnerable age groups. 
 
The Philippines has come a long way in safeguarding the public from the dangers of tobacco and alcohol consumption through its taxation policies and stringent regulatory measures. With wider and easier access to sin products through technology, regulatory purview should be expanded to ensure that online selling is similarly covered. 
 
It cannot be overstated that in this time of pandemic, health should be of utmost priority. Products that increase the risk of contracting and developing a more severe form of COVID-19 and its comorbidities should be avoided, if not totally eliminated. The DOH and FDA further stress that now is the time to quit and for the youth not to take up this habit.