By KPC Reporter
The government is collecting public views across the country as it seeks to amend Kenya’s Tobacco Control Act of 2007 to address emerging nicotine products and growing public health concerns.
Speaking during a public baraza under the Jamii Imara Mashinani initiative in Thokoa, Migwani, Mwingi West Constituency, Kitui County, Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the current law is no longer adequate to regulate novel nicotine products that have entered the market in recent years.
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“The emergence of new nicotine products has presented challenges that the existing law did not anticipate. We need stronger legal frameworks to protect Kenyans, especially our young people,” she said.
The PS warned that manufacturers of emerging nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches and other vaping devices, are increasingly targeting young consumers through attractive packaging and marketing strategies.
She noted that many parents and guardians are unaware of the products’ appeal and potential health risks.
According to health experts, nicotine exposure among adolescents can affect brain development, increase the risk of addiction and negatively impact attention, learning and impulse control.
The World Health Organization has also warned that vaping products may expose users to harmful substances despite being marketed as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes.
Muthoni said the proposed amendments have been submitted to the National Assembly’s Health Committee and will undergo public participation before being considered for enactment.
At the same time, she directed security and public health officials to intensify crackdowns on bars and entertainment joints operating near schools, accusing some establishments of adopting new tactics to attract underage customers.
“We cannot allow businesses to expose children to alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances. Those violating the law must face the consequences,” she said.
The PS also called for the arrest and prosecution of vendors who sell cigarettes individually, saying the practice makes tobacco products more accessible and affordable to minors.
Selling cigarettes as single sticks is prohibited under Kenyan law, which requires tobacco products to be sold in sealed packages carrying health warnings.
The latest directives come as the Ministry of Health rolls out new graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging.
The warnings, which feature images illustrating the harmful effects of tobacco use, are intended to discourage smoking and increase public awareness of tobacco-related diseases.
Health authorities estimate that tobacco use contributes to thousands of preventable deaths annually through diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic respiratory illnesses.
The ministry says strengthening tobacco control laws is critical in reducing tobacco-related deaths and protecting future generations from nicotine addiction.
