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BAT Kenya is calling for the implementation of sustainable regulation for smokeless nicotine and tobacco products, to achieve a smoke-free Kenya.
In a statement as the world marks World Vape Day today and also prepares to mark the World No Tobacco Day on 31st May .
More than 1 billion people globally continue to smoke despite the serious risks. According to population modelling studies, a significant reduction in smoking related disease could be achieved if smokers switched exclusively to reduced-risk alternatives.
To realise the public health potential offered by smokeless products, appropriate regulation is required to encourage adult smokers to switch and protect consumers from inauthentic products, with stringent safety standards and prevent underage access and use.
In the statement, BAT Kenya said it believes that four principles should be applied for effective and impactful regulation relating to smokeless nicotine and tobacco products. The principles include access to consumer relevant products. In this principle, regulations are expected should cater to smokeless alternatives to ensure access by tobacco consumers.
Second principle, adult only consumer requires regulations prohibit use of tobacco products by underage persons. The principle of Product Quality and Safety requires that regulation enforces quality and safety standards to protect consumers.
Lastly, the principle of Robust Enforcement requires regulation to provide enforcement authorities with the necessary powers to apply penalties and sanctions to those who fail to comply.
Head of External Affairs for BAT Kenya and East & Southern Africa Markets, Tashanya Okola, said smokeless alternatives to cigarettes, including vapour products and nicotine pouches, are key to supporting the Government’s public health agenda.
“We are clear on our responsibilities, and therefore want to have transparent conversations about appropriate regulation that will tackle underage use while keeping smokeless alternatives like vapes and nicotine pouches as a vital tool to help adult smokers switch,” Okola said.
She said migration of smokers to alternatives is crucial both for countries looking to reduce their smoking rates and for global public health more broadly.
“Whether or not governments are able to take advantage of these products and maximise their harm reduction potential depends as much on the implementation of progressive, risk-proportionate regulation, as it does on changes in consumer behaviour.” said Ms Okola.
Countries that have implemented regulation that recognises the harm reduction potential of smokeless products and support their use for adult smokers have experience a rapid decline in smoking.
The UK, US and Japan are all reporting their lowest smoking rates on record, while Sweden is on track to declaring itself smoke-free this year, 16 years ahead of the 2040 EU target. This is largely a result of widespread awareness, availability and usage of smokeless alternatives, such as vapour products, heated products and nicotine pouches.
“There are widespread misconceptions about the risk of smokeless products compared to smoking. This discourages many smokers who don’t quit smoking from switching. The science is clear: well-stewarded smokeless tobacco and nicotine products have a considerably lower-risk profile than smoking. It is the toxicants released by the burning of tobacco that cause the harm associated with smoking,” added Okola.
Further, BAT publicly re-affirms its position that no underage persons should use nicotine products.
She said BAT has strict guidelines to prevent sales to underage, and research guidelines which clearly mandate that market research is only conducted on adult nicotine consumer.
“Measures include prominent 18+ age restriction warnings on our product packaging, alongside various efforts to enforce robust guideline with the traders to prevent underage access, such as training and mystery shopping,” she said.
