Exposure to tobacco advertising, especially through digital platforms is rampant, and flavored products like nicotine pouches continue to appeal to younger audiences.
In 2023, Kenya’s Ministry of Health made a bold policy move: the introduction of updated Graphic Health Warnings (GHWs) for all tobacco and nicotine products.
These warnings were designed to cover 30 per cent of the front and 50 per cent of the back of product packaging, with rotating visuals that highlight the severe health consequences of tobacco and nicotine use.
The regulations aimed to address the shortcomings of the static, outdated warnings introduced in 2016 and to include products that had since flooded the market such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and other smokeless items increasingly used by the youth.
But nearly two years on, the enforcement of these life-saving warnings has stalled. The delay is not just bureaucratic; it has been actively shaped by corporate resistance. Investigations, including a widely cited exposé by The Guardian, revealed that one tobacco company lobbied government officials to dilute and delay the rollout of the new warnings, particularly for nicotine pouches like Velo.
The tobacco giant reportedly pushed for smaller label sizes, softer wording, and even threatened to withdraw investments to pressure the government into compromising public health safeguards. This interference, while alarming, is sadly not new. It mirrors a global playbook used by the tobacco industry to undermine regulations under the guise of protecting economic interests.
While these regulatory delays unfold, the data paints a concerning picture, especially among young people. According to the Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI), 6.5% of Kenyan adolescents aged 13 to 17 had tried tobacco at least once in 2024, and 2.5% had used a tobacco product in the past 30 days.
Exposure to tobacco advertising, especially through digital platforms is rampant, and flavored products like nicotine pouches continue to appeal to younger audiences. These numbers indicate a shift: while traditional cigarette smoking may be declining, emerging nicotine products are gaining ground, often in the absence of clear, visible health warnings.
Graphic health warnings are more than just regulatory requirements; they are powerful public health tools backed by decades of research. They are effective because they speak a universal language: imagery. GHWs bypass literacy and education barriers and communicate risk through powerful visuals. They’ve been shown to deter youth initiation, prompt quit attempts among current users, and increase public awareness of the dangers of tobacco.
Countries like Australia, Thailand, and Uruguay have used rotating pictorial warnings with striking success, seeing significant reductions in tobacco consumption and initiation rates. Kenya's earlier implementation of GHWs in 2016 was a step forward, but the failure to refresh and expand them has reduced their impact over time.
The updated regulations gazetted in early 2025 provide a comprehensive framework. They mandate larger and rotating warning labels, apply to all tobacco and nicotine products (including pouches and e-cigarettes), and provide clear technical guidelines for manufacturers and importers. However, implementation remains inconsistent and contested. Some products continue to appear on the market without compliant warnings, while enforcement agencies struggle with resource constraints and conflicting industry narratives.
Voices from the tobacco control movement have expressed concern over these delays and the continued presence of non-compliant products in retail spaces.
“GHWs are very effective in TC. They contribute to reduction in demand and supply of Tobacco/nicotine. This is why TI is fighting them. It's evidenced in Kenya where the rigorous public participation exercise is being "doubted" by the Senate," said Joel Gitali, the chairperson KETCA.
Experts argue that while Kenya has made commendable strides in tobacco taxation and regulation, failure to enforce GHWs risks reversing these gains, particularly among vulnerable populations like youth and low-literacy communities.
“Graphic health warnings are essential to educate smokers and non-smokers about the harms of tobacco use. A tobacco pack is a mini-billboard: a pack a day smoker sees the packet 7300 times a year - this is a cost-effective way to educate them on the harms of tobacco use and encourage them to quit.”
Rachel Kitonyo, a long-standing advocate in the field, would provide further insight into the importance of refreshing warnings and resisting industry interference.
Meanwhile, youth advocates like Elvina Majiwa are raising the alarm about flavored nicotine products entering social spaces, often unlabeled or disguised in trendy packaging.
“Kenyan consumers need to be fully informed of the numerous health effects of tobacco and nicotine products, and the package is one of the best ways to do so. Warnings are also seen by those around the consumer, such as family and friends which can protect them from initiation. “Says Elvina Majiwa, director Health-Conscious Africa.
As a communicator working in tobacco control, I understand the immense power of visuals in shaping behavior and perception. Health communication is about timing, clarity, and emotional resonance. When a young person sees a clean, sleek nicotine pouch with no warning and hears that it's “less harmful,” they are more likely to try it. When that same pouch carries an image of diseased organs or a bold message about addiction, the decision to try it is no longer casual. The packaging becomes a point of intervention, a silent but powerful educator at the moment of purchase or use.
This is why graphic health warnings matter. They turn a commercial product into a public health message. They bring health policy directly into the hands of consumers, retailers, parents, and children. And when designed and implemented well, they can shift culture, challenge misinformation, and save lives.
So what needs to happen now?
First, policymakers must act with urgency to enforce the 2025 GHW regulations in full. This means ensuring that all tobacco and nicotine products on the market, local or imported, carry updated, visible, and rotating graphic warnings.
There should be no room for negotiation or selective enforcement. Second, counties must be empowered and resourced to support implementation and public education campaigns. Third, civil society must continue to monitor industry tactics, expose gaps in enforcement, and support community-level awareness.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the public must be informed and engaged. Parents, teachers, young people, and retailers need to understand what graphic warnings are and why they matter. These warnings are not designed to shame users, they are there to inform choices, protect public health, and prevent a new generation from falling into addiction disguised as innovation.
Kenya has the laws. It has the data. It has the evidence. What it needs now is leadership, and the political will to put health before profit.
Every pack without a graphic warning is a missed opportunity. It's time to put the message back on the pack. #EnforceGHWsKE
The author is a Communications Specialist and Civil Society Advocate
