NAIROBI, Kenya, October 4 – The Ministry of Health has formed a technical team to review the Tobacco Act of 2007 in response to mounting legal concerns. This move comes amidst calls from Members of Parliament (MPs) seeking a ban on the Velo brand of nicotine pouches in the country.
MPs have called for the removal of the Velo nicotine pouch brand from the market, citing its adverse health and social effects. Nominated MP Sabina Chege, during a parliamentary session, questioned the Health Cabinet Secretary, Susan Nakhumicha, about the presence of this addictive substance in the Kenyan market, particularly after a previous ban on a similar product known as Lyft.
“Why would we, as a country, allow an addictive drug that clearly states its addictive nature? Why should we permit the importation of this drug by British American Tobacco when they’re not even producing it here?” she posed.
Velo is a rebranded product of British American Tobacco (BAT), formerly known as Lyft, which was banned in 2020 due to non-compliance with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board’s requirements.
Health Cabinet Secretary Nakhumicha clarified that Velo is imported from Hungary but distributed in Kenya by British American Tobacco Limited, which is licensed as a tobacco product manufacturer in Kenya. While BAT had sought to manufacture nicotine pouches locally, this has not yet commenced.
She further explained that her predecessor had issued a moratorium in June 2022, lifting the ban, primarily due to loopholes in the legal framework, which made it challenging to remove the substance from the market.
“If I, as the Minister of Health, could make a declaration to have it removed from the market, I would be the happiest, as it would save many Kenyan lives,” she emphasized.
“We are currently relying on the Tobacco Control Act of 2007. We have formed a technical team to review the Act, and we will be presenting it to our health committee for consideration,” Nakhumicha added.
Nominated MP Irene Mayaka raised concerns that Velo nicotine pouches, known for their severe adverse effects, are readily available in most retail stores, potentially targeting school-going children.
“I urge the Ministry of Health to reconsider and impose a total ban, as it takes only five minutes to experience its effects,” noted Mayaka.
Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wagwe stressed that the longer these nicotine pouches remain available in Kenyan markets, the more adverse effects they will cause among the youth.
Wagwe called for closer collaboration between the Ministry of Health and other departments, particularly the Bureau of Standards, given that the packaging bears the Kenya Bureau of Standards stamp.
Former Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had declared the registration of Lyft nicotine pouches in Kenya illegal in October 2020, instructing the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to deregister them. However, the products were later allowed on the condition that they were registered as tobacco products.
Lyft, marketed by British American Tobacco (BAT-Kenya), is considered an alternative to cigarettes for addicted smokers. BAT maintains that the product does not contain tobacco, and the nicotine it contains is of industry-leading quality in terms of purity and grade.
The popularity of products sold under the Velo brand (formerly Lyft) has been on the rise, according to BAT. Nevertheless, concerns remain regarding the adequacy of health risk disclosures on their packaging, which, according to the law, should include warning messages in both English and Kiswahili languages.
The nicotine pouch has gained fast popularity among young people since its introduction to the market in late 2019.
