Nearly 300 kilos of cigarettes, betel nut and vapes were crushed during the ceremonial crushing Monday, January 25 at the Baguio City Hall grounds here.
Nearly 200 kilos of confiscated cigarettes since last year comprised the bulk of the cancer-causing addictive sticks which were crushed after the regular Monday flag raising ceremony at the city hall; grounds.
The Public Information Office in a release said that the ceremonial crushing of “heaps of highly addictive, poison-laden, cancer-causing cylinders of death is the result of the dedication of the city’s Smoke Free Task Force (SFTF) in its campaign of realizing a #SmokeFreeBaguio.”
Some 72 kilos of betel nut with tobacco locally known as momma as well as 102 units of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), or vape, JUUL and e-cigarette were also crushed during Monday’s ceremonies.
The Public Order Safety Department estimated the cost at P2.3 million.
The PIO said the POSD is the main implementer of City Ordinance 34, series of 2017 or the Smoke Free Baguio Ordinance and it is responsible for the confiscation of 90 percent of those crushed during Monday’s ceremony.
The PIO added that the rest of confiscation was done by deputized barangay and civilian enforcers and the Philippine National Police.
