Kenyan MPs are urging the government to prohibit the sale of a popular brand of imported nicotine pouches in the country.
According to Health Minister Susan Nakhumicha, Velo is a rebrand of a British American Tobacco (BAT) nicotine pouch called as Lyft, which was deemed unlawful in 2022 by then-Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe.
Mr Kagwe ordered Lyft’s deregistration on allegations that it was licensed and registered illegally.
“Velo is imported from Hungary and distributed in the country by BAT Kenya Limited. No local manufacturer of nicotine pouches exists in the country therefore all nicotine pouches are imported,” Ms Nakhumicha said.
The BBC has reached out to BAT for a statement but has not received a response.
Health experts have noted a resurgence of highly addictive nicotine products in Kenya, despite a previous ban imposed by the Ministry of Health.
The Kenya Tobacco Control and Health Promotion Alliance, a civil society organization, emphasized in a statement that prohibiting nicotine pouches could save an entire generation from the risks of death, disease, and disability.
Kenya currently bases its decisions on tobacco products on a 2007 tobacco law. The health minister has announced that a technical team will assess the law and provide additional recommendations.