The ministry of health is considering making shisha smoking, importation and advertising illegal in Kenya. The Ministry is in the final stages of tabling the Public Health (control of Shisha smoking) rules 2017.
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Under the rules no one shall be allowed to sell or advertise the smoking of the product in Kenya.
Section 3 of the rules state that:
”No person shall manufacture, sell, offer for sale, use, advertise, promote or distribute Shisha in Kenya.”
The rules also prohibits anyone from promoting, facilitating and encouraging smoking of the soon to be illegal product in Kenya.
Did the Ministry of Health just Ban Shisha in Kenya? Where are the shisha Lovers? What do you think about this?#ShishaBanKE #ShishaBanKenya pic.twitter.com/YSWWDxM8ZO
— Xtian Dela™ (@xtiandela) December 28, 2017
Health CS Cleopa Mailu has agreed that discussions around the ban are on going with various government agencies and stakeholders but he was yet to sign the document that was doing rounds online.
“We are in discussions with the Attorney General (Githu Muigai) on developing the legislation. The document being circulated online online was probably being prepared for my signature but it’s not final and we are not yet there,” Health CS told The Star.
The decision will make Kenya the third country after Tanzania and Rwanda to ban the use of the product.
The world Health organization WHO had declared Shisha smoking posed great health risks.The organization likened one puff of shisha to amount to smoking 100 cigarette sticks by a single person.
Shisha smoking has become very common among Kenyan youth who indulge in it while at entertainment joints. Its common among ladies.
Research from University of Nairobi has proven that it poses grave danger to women who risk infertility with every single puff.
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