New Bill makes it illegal to advertise sex-enhancer drugs in Kenya.

Herbal sex enhancing drugs have become so popular with many people using them in the country due to their availability, easy accessibility and affordability compared to conventional drugs. 

It will now be illegal in Kenya to advertise sex enhancing drugs that claim to stimulate sexual performance if a bill tabled in the National Assembly on Wednesday becomes law.

The Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2018 proposes a jail term of one year for anyone who contravenes this law.

The amendments that have been promoted by Health Committee chairperson Sabina Chege also ban advertising of products claiming to cure numerous sexual transmitted infections, cures for cancer, epilepsy and other conditions.

“No person shall take part in the publications of any advertisement, referring to a drug, medicine, medical appliances or similar article in terms, which in the opinion of the board are considered to be extravagant and to bear little or no relation to the pharmacological properties and action of the ingredients or components thereof,” reads part of the amendments.

The bill also states that one cannot advertise the products if they are unable to support their scientific functioning.

Other diseases for which alleged cures cannot be advertised are TB, leprosy, diabetes, dropsy, goitre, heart diseases, blindness and smallpox.

Also banned is advertising of abortion-inducing drugs. Those convicted can be jailed for one year or fined Sh. 20,000. Repeat offenders can be fined Sh. 30,000 or jailed for two years, or both.

Depending on interpretation, this Bill may also make it illegal to advertise sexual toys in Kenya.

The amendments also seek to expand the definition of ‘drug’ to include herbal products that claim to have medicinal values. This means they will now be regulated by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.

Researchers say that these supplements are often spiked and contain unregulated versions of the pharmaceuticals they are supposed to replace.

If signed into law, this will deal a big blow to the herbal and supplements business which has of late become so popular in the country. Although majority of these ‘herbalists’ sell items that resemble drugs and suggest powerful results, they are never obligated to prove the effectiveness or safety of any of their products unlike conventional drug makers.