Bill seeks ban on cancer-causing sugar substitute

Deputy Speaker Erico Aumentado (LAMP, Bohol) has filed a bill seeking to prohibit the sale and serving by any establishment of any sugar substitute containing the sweetening agent saccharine.

Aumentado said House Bill 8758 has become imperative in light of medical findings that saccharine is a carcinogen and thus, a health hazard to consumers.

A carcinogen refers to any substance that produces cancer.

Saccharine is a white, crystalline coal tar compound about 550 times sweeter than sucrose or cane sugar. It was discovered by US chemists in 1879.

The compound is being used commercially as a substitute in diabetic diets or as a non-caloric sweetener.

Saccharine was only recently found to be carcinogenic by medical researchers.

Aumentado said the continued open selling and use of saccharine-laced sugar substitutes pose serious health risks to consumers.

Under Aumentado's bill, stores, hotels, restaurants and coffee shops openly serving sacchrine-laced sweetening agents shall face: a P10,000 fine for the first offense; six months imprisonment of the owner, manager or operator for the second offense; and both the fine and prison term for the third offense.