This archive report was first published on 26 November 2019.
On November 26, 2019, Kenya's Supreme Court made a landmark decision upholding the Tobacco Control Regulations, prioritizing the health of Kenyans.
The court dismissed a petition by the British American Tobacco Company, which had challenged the implementation of the regulations.
According to Lady Justice Njoki Ndung'u, 'There is no way that regulations can be made without considering the health of the people. The issues of tobacco and its impact to health is now a debate worldwide.'
The regulations require cigarette manufacturers to include large graphic and text health warnings on their products, as well as make mandatory disclosures of tobacco product ingredients and revenues.
Manufacturers are also expected to ensure smoke-free environments in public places and adjacent streets, walkways, and verandas, as well as limit interactions between the tobacco industry and public officials.
The law also requires tobacco companies to pay damages for harm suffered, known as solatium compensation, and contribute two percent of the value of the products manufactured or imported to fund tobacco control research, cessation, and rehabilitation programs.
