A proposed amendment to Kenya’s Tobacco Control laws has sparked fierce backlash from public health advocates, with the Campaign for Safer Alternatives (CASA) warning that the bill could lead to more harm than good. The Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2024, currently at its second reading in Parliament, has been labelled “regressive” and “misguided” by CASA, which says it endangers the lives of the country’s 2.6 million smokers.
Speaking after Tuesday’s parliamentary debate, CASA chairman Joseph Magero condemned the bill’s provisions for penalising safer nicotine alternatives such as vapes and oral pouches, while doing little to discourage the use of deadly combustible cigarettes.
“This bill condemns 2.6 million Kenyan smokers to an early grave,” said Magero. “It wilfully ignores overwhelming scientific evidence that modern nicotine alternatives are significantly less harmful than smoking and offer smokers their best chance to quit.”
Although the Senate Health Committee has not yet tabled its report, it is reportedly in favour of capping nicotine levels and banning flavours in alternative nicotine products. CASA argues these measures fly in the face of international evidence, including success stories from countries like the UK and Sweden, where access to safer alternatives has helped drive down smoking rates.
“Nicotine isn’t what kills, it’s the smoke,” Magero explained. “If alternatives are too weak or unappealing, smokers won’t switch. They’ll keep smoking and dying.”
CASA warns that the bill, in its current form, treats harm-reduction tools as harshly as cigarettes themselves—despite their potential to save lives. The group is urging the Senate to reject these “counterproductive provisions” and adopt a science-led approach that prioritises harm reduction.
“Twelve thousand Kenyans die every year from smoking-related illnesses,” Magero noted. “Two-thirds of smokers want to quit, but very few succeed. They need real help, not virtue-signalling bans that criminalise safer choices.”
CASA is calling for the bill to be re-evaluated, warning that without changes, it will not only stifle progress but also hand the tobacco industry a long-term advantage at the cost of public health
