Reports revealed that most Nairobi retailers are selling single sticks of cigarettes despite this being illegal.
International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA) has reported that more than 64 per cent of cigarettes sold in the city are single sticks and are mainly bought by low-income earners, adolescents and children.
The study was conducted in the designated smoking zones in the city centre, Kibra, Mathare, Kawangware, Buruburu, Kileleshwa and Karen.
Ms Emma Wanyonyi, the ILLA chief executive officer, said the selling of single sticks of cigarettes is a major contributor to the rising number of children addicted to tobacco.
“When you give a child Sh10 for their break in school, it is enough for them to buy at least two single sticks. After a while, they get hooked which leads to addiction even before adulthood,” Ms Wanyonyi warned.
The ILLA CEO observed that most retailers are ignorant of the law.
A man was on Tuesday fined Sh 15,000 in a Nyeri Court or serve five months in prison for selling cigarettes in single sticks.
Simon Gichuki Maina appeared before resident magistrate Ruth Kefa where he pleaded guilty to selling single sticks of cigarette as opposed to selling in packets as required by the law.
Maina was nabbed by Nyeri police and Nacada officers at Kasuku bar in Nyeri town on February 11.
Section 18 of the Tobacco Control Act of 2007 states that the sale of cigarettes will only be done as a pack of not less than 10 pieces.