Treasury proposes change of taxation regime for liquid nicotine

Change of the taxation regime for liquid nicotine from the current shillings per unit to an excise duty of Ksh. 70 per  milliliter has been proposed in the 2022/2023 budget.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani proposed the change Thursday when he presented the budget to Parliament.

According to Yatani, innovations in the tobacco industry have been on the rise in the recent years leading to introduction of new products beyond e-cigarettes.

He argued that the products continue to negatively affect the health of citizens saying the design
of these products and their taxation regime makes them easily accessible to users including to school children and the youth.

The CS said it has led to nicotine addiction and consequently smoking and use of other drugs.

The measure he says has been taken so as to prevent these habits and make the liquid nicotine used in these devices less accessible to users including to school children and the youth.