President Rodrigo Duterte ordered on late Tuesday night an importation ban of e-cigarette or vaping materials and to arrest people vaping in public places.

In a press conference, Duterte said he would later issue an executive order regarding the matter, but his order is already effective.

"I will ban it, the importation because it is toxic. Government has the power to issue measures to protect public health and public interest," he explained.

The President said he is ordering law enforcement agencies to arrest people vaping in public places.

Duterte issued the order after the Department of Health recently confirmed the first case of e-cigarette or vape-related lung injury in the country involving a 16-year old girl from Visayas. Celerina Monte/DMS