One out of four cigarettes smoked in Kenya is illicit.
This is according to BAT Kenya Managing Director Crispin Achola who says the tobacco industry has lost up to 30 per cent of the cigarette market to the illicit market.
Speaking during a public participation to deliberate on the Ministry of Health’s proposals to have graphic warnings on tobacco products, Achola said delayed regulations of non-tobacco products which are key in reducing the number of smokers have also adversely affected the industry.
Achola says the industry is not opposed to graphic warnings on nicotine and nicotine-free products but instead wants the Ministry of Health to adopt warning images based on science, evidence and risk profiles of particular products.
“We support graphic warnings on combustible cigarettes but for novel products, the current proposed graphic images are not based on evidence, science and risk profile of the products,” he said.
Achola further states that the uptake of novel products which have been in the market for the last two years have been significant in reducing combustible product intake but marketing the products without proper government regulations has been a hurdle.
BAT’s proposal also received a major boost from the Retail Trade Association of Kenya, Kenya BAR Owners Association and the Harm Reduction Society of Kenya who also called on the need for the ministry to consider science-based evidence of the products in coming up with graphic images on the products.
“You cannot use the law to address what is not in the law. The government needs to do more on the regulation of nicotine products,” Wambui Mbarire of the Retail Trade Association said.
Kenya Bar Owners Association Secretary General Boniface Gachoka said embracing the nicotine pouches will significantly reduce the number of smokers and help bars do away with smoking zones.
“As sellers of nicotine pouches, the products will help create a conducive environment in our bars,” Gachoka said.
Michael Kariuki the secretary General of the Harm Reduction Society says the proposals by the Ministry of Health should focus on propagating harm reduction.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Health says the novel smokeless products did not exist during the enactment of the Tobacco Control Act 2007 calling on the need to review the regulations.
Tobacco Control board chairperson Naomi Shaban says the government will take into consideration all the issues raised during the public participation session by all the key stakeholders. She said the report will be shared with the public upon its completion.
“The tobacco industry regulations have been undergoing drastic reviews and the crucial bit was involving members of the public and industry players who have been given a chance to debate on the proposals. The massive feedback is significant in the decision that the Ministry of Health will make, “Shaban said.
The fact that most Kenyans purchase a single cigarette rather than a packet which bears text warnings and graphic warnings has also been a heated debate.
There are at least 1.3 Billion smokers globally.
