Kenya’s delegation takes hard anti-tobacco stance

Kenya on Thursday took a hard stance against the tobacco, according to officials attending the WHO FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) Conference of Parties in Uruguay.

The delegation supported the proposed guidelines in articles 9 and 10 of the FCTC calling for a ban of tobacco ingredients in blended cigarettes. Basically, the proposals prohibit use of ingredients to enhance or sweeten cigarette taste.

This stance is at variance with the positions taken by Comesa and African Union countries. The delegation said countries growing the crop were “suffering under tobacco slavery and needing help from Western countries”.

Countries whose economies are heavily dependent on the crop and fearing damages to their economies are said to be heavily aggrieved by the position.

Following the Comesa Heads of states conference, members were urged to oppose the recommended ban on ingredients in tobacco products to preserve the trading bloc’s economies.

Kenyan farmers grow the crop in Western and Eastern parts of the country and cigarettes have become a major trade commodity for British American Tobacco, which exports 60 per cent of its production, and Mastermind Tobacco.

Kenya is the only Comesa country currently participating in the Work Group preparing guidelines on Articles 9 and 10 of the FCTC. The final outcomes will help countries in making laws and regulations on tobacco products additives.

Tobacco industry views additives as essential component for traditional blended cigarettes, but opponents say they tend to “sex up” smoking especially for the young people.