Health professionals have raised concerns about the addictive nicotine drug sold under the brand name Velo.
Thousands of customers, especially young people, have been drawn into a web of dependency by the products provided under the Velo brand, formerly Lyft, which have bombarded the Kenyan market.
As required by law, the product does not fully disclose any potential health concerns or side effects.
Now, lawmakers want the Kenyan market for the addictive nicotine chemical to be rapidly shut down.
On Wednesday, during the afternoon question period, lawmakers expressed their opinions over the market entry of the addictive nicotine chemical Velo.
In order to highlight the risks of the extremely addictive chemicals that are marketed in the local market even to school-age children, nominated MP Sabina Chege walked into the National Assembly chambers carrying two tins full with Velo pouches.
Chege addressed Wafula Nakhumincha, the health cabinet secretary, who was present in the plenary.
When the Health CS informed MPs that Lyft, a substance that will be outlawed in the nation in 2020, was rebranded as Velo, the discussion on Velo in Parliament took on a new direction.
Health professionals have expressed concern about the overuse of the chemical and the long-term implications it may have on users’ health.
Since then, it has come to light that a local tobacco manufacturing company imports Velo from Hungary and distributes it for retail sale locally.
MPs are also asking why the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) was not notified of the issue by the Ministry of Health.
The failure to disclose the health risks Velo goods offered in Kenya have with simply one warning on the front cover—”This product contains nicotine”—is another issue brought up by the experts. Chemically, nicotine is addictive.
