Tobacco Control and Health Promotion Alliance

25/09/2026

KETCA and our Youth Coalition for To***co Control (NYCTC) joined partners in Nairobi for the public participation hearings on the To***co Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
We made our case for a to***co control landscape that reflects where the market is today , not where it was in 2007. Emerging ni****ne products like e-ci******es and ni****ne pouches, aggressive digital marketing, and deliberate targeting of young people demand laws that can keep pace.
6.2% of Kenyan adults use ni****ne pouches, while 5.8% and 4.2% of university students use e-ci******es and ni****ne pouches respectively. These are products being pushed at our youth, and the current Act does not regulate them.
We continue to witness industry interference ,even in yesterday's exercise. But we have braced ourselves for it. The to***co industry's tactics will not deter us from advocating for the health of Kenyans, and especially our young people.
We were glad to see young people turn up in large numbers to support a Bill that affects them directly. We support the Amendment Bill and we urge the Health Committee to adopt it, with the additional amendments we have proposed, including a ban on ni****ne pouches and sh**ha, stronger protections for minors, and devolution of the To***co Control Fund to counties. The to***co industry is adapting. Our laws must adapt with it.
***coControlBill2024KE because is not negotiable.

06/08/2026

03/08/2026

Public health must always come before commercial interest.

18/07/2026

Big shout out to my newest top fans! Jackline Mbone

30/06/2026

Despite a 2017 ban, sh**ha continues to be sold and consumed in Kenya. It’s no longer just to***co. Today, we are fighting herbal and flavored waterpipe products that are marketed as "safe", a dangerous lie. These products release toxic emissions and carcinogens when burned, and the communal sharing of mouthpieces spreads diseases like TB .
This is why KETCA joined the Ministry of Health, Kenya public participation drive on the Public Health (Prohibition of Sh**ha Smoking and Waterpipe To***co Products) Rules, 2026.
Alarming data shows that children are starting to use ni****ne pouches and sh**ha products, and the latest research reveals that 6.2% of Kenyan youth have already tried sh**ha, drawn in by fruit flavors and the misconception that it is safer than ci******es .
In partnership with Amref Health Africa through the Youth-Led To***co Control Advocacy Project Y-ACT Youth In Action, our youth coalition members have been engaging in public meetings in some counties last week . We showed up not just to oppose an industry, but to propose solutions.
Our Memorandum to the Ministry focused on closing the loopholes:
1. Expand the Definition: The new rules must cover "herbal" sh**ha and gel formulations, not just to***co. The health harm comes from the charcoal and the smoke, not just the ni****ne .
2. Define "Waterpipe Apparatus": To fully enforce this ban, health officers must have the legal authority to seize the physical devices (the bowls, hoses, and bases). You can’t ban the practice without banning the tool .
3. Remove "Knowingly": It was a high legal threshold. We proposed that owners are strictly liable if sh**ha is found on their premises .
4. Night Raids: Enforcement must happen at night when sh**ha is smoked in clubs, not just during 9-5 office hours .
5. End the Misleading Labels: We called for a ban on accessories and packaging that use terms like "chemical-free" or "natural" to mislead consumers about health risks .
6. Unified Enforcement: We advocated for a coordinated enforcement framework involving the National Police, KRA(KENYA REVENUE AUTHORITY) , and NACADA to stop the illicit trade at its source .
We are doing this because 12,000 Kenyans die annually from to***co-related diseases . We are doing this because the industry is targeting our children, and we refuse to let the next generation become their customers.
We thank the Ministry of Health for this process. The fight continues until Sh**ha is fully eradicated from Kenya.
**haBan2026