The shisha ban remains unchanged amid the reports towards its usage in the country. The Ministry has maintained that Kenyans ought to comply with the regulations that seek to safeguard the health of the citizens, as it relates to Shisha smoking.
In a press statement dated February 3 rd 2025, the Ministry made it abundantly clear that the ban which was promulgated in 2017 under the Public Health (Control of Shisha Smoking) Rules continues to make illegal the production, advertisement, importation, sale and the actual use of shisha within the Republic.
The Ministry pointed out the more severe adverse health consequences of shisha smoking such as complications with the respiratory system, heart diseases and other maladies associated with toxins.
For instance, the government mentioned that the legal obstacle came in 2018 but both the High court in 2018 and the Court of Appeal on December 23, 2024, confirmed the negative side if the shisha ban. All this pronounced that the public’s health must outweigh business interests.
“The Ministry of Health would like to remind all Kenyans that the ban on Shisha remains fully in effect. This prohibition was enacted in 2017 under the Public Health (Control of Shisha Smoking) Rules and strictly prohibits the manufacture, importation, sale, and use of Shisha in Kenya Shisha smoking poses serious health risks, including respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and exposure to toxic chemicals.
These dangers prompted legal challenges in 2018, but both the High Court in 2018 and the Court of Appeal, in a ruling on December 23, 2024, upheld the ban. These rulings affirm that public health must take precedence over commercial interests” reads part of the statement.
This comes as National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) continue to raise concerns that Shisha smoking had slowly but steadily managed to crawl back into the country despite its ban.
