DAVAO CITY – The Food and Drug administration is monitoring the illegal sale of candies packaged like cigarettes reportedly coming from overseas suppliers, according to an official.
Deborah Legaspi, director of the FDA’s Mindanao’s east cluster, said that the health agency has already monitored various incidents of sweet candies packaged similarly with cigarette packs.
Legaspi said that the government would crack down on the packaging violation, especially with strong anti-tobacco measures being implemented both locally and nationally.
The FDA official said that the monitoring teams are finding out how the products made their way to the region, through a review of permitting documents.
These were likely coming from abroad, Legaspi said.
If this is the case, the importer of the said products could be liable, as products imported to the country should apply for a license to operate with the FDA’s central office.
The documents to be examined are certificates of importation and those for product registration.
Legaspi said that the Davao ream has intensified its post-marketing surveillance and has started an inventory of sweets with the cigarette-like package.