Health PS Muthoni defends govt’s revocation of nicotine product licences
Principal Secretary in the State Department for Public Health, Mary Muthoni, has come out strongly in defence of the government’s decision to suspend all licences related to nicotine products, citing growing public health concerns, especially among youth and women.
Speaking in an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, June 5, 2025, Muthoni described the market for nicotine-based substances as overwhelmingly infiltrated, saying the state could no longer determine the quality or safety of the products being circulated.
“The market had become so infiltrated, we didn’t know what we were dealing with,” she stated, defending the drastic action to revoke licences for the manufacture, importation, sale, and promotion of nicotine products across the country.
According to the PS, the decision was driven by alarming statistics and trends within the population.
“Over 100,000 children between 10–17 years of age are vaping,” said Muthoni. “More women are smoking today than ever before. These are not just numbers – they are lives, futures, and families at risk.”
The suspension, she explained, is part of a broader government initiative to protect vulnerable populations and reclaim control over a rapidly expanding and largely unregulated nicotine industry.
Government interventions
She noted that the State Department for Public Health is prioritising policy interventions aimed at curbing addiction and promoting healthier lifestyles, particularly among the youth.
Beyond nicotine, PS Muthoni also addressed growing concerns about the misuse of pharmaceutical drugs, particularly Ozempic-a diabetes medication that is now being widely used for weight loss without proper medical supervision.
“The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) is currently looking into all concerns over the misuse of Ozempic,” she said. “Drugs must always be prescribed by a qualified medic. This is not just about rules – it’s about the safety of Kenyans who may be unaware of the consequences of self-medicating.”
Muthoni warned that the trend of using prescription medication for off-label purposes such as rapid weight loss posed serious health risks, especially in cases where users bypass proper medical channels.
She urged Kenyans to consult certified health professionals before using any form of medication.
As the government steps up regulatory actions, the PS also addressed challenges in the health sector related to financing. With traditional funding sources for health services under pressure, she revealed that the government has shifted focus to internal solutions.
“The government has reverted to local resource mobilisation to fill the gap in health funding,” Muthoni noted. “It’s high time we own our products.”
She said the State is committed to developing home-grown solutions to both financial and systemic challenges in the health sector, and that this approach would reduce dependency on external funding while strengthening domestic capacity to respond to national health priorities.
The suspension of nicotine product licences, coupled with a crackdown on prescription drug misuse, reflects a broader government effort to tighten oversight in the public health arena and ensure the safety and well-being of all Kenyans.
She said that health advocates have also raised concerns over the increasing appeal of vaping among teenagers, often marketed as a ‘safer’ alternative to smoking. However, studies have shown that nicotine use in adolescence can have long-lasting impacts on brain development and may lead to long-term addiction.
She said that the State is expected to roll out enhanced public awareness campaigns to educate Kenyans on the dangers of vaping, smoking, and the misuse of pharmaceuticals. Muthoni emphasised the need for parents, schools, and community leaders to join hands in addressing the public health threats posed by such habits.
“We are not just banning products for the sake of it,” Muthoni stressed. “We are intervening to protect a generation that is under threat from powerful commercial interests that are targeting them with addictive and dangerous substances.”
