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MERU County Government

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CONFERENCE COOMUNIQUE
NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC MIRAA CONFERENCE 2021 RESOLUTIONS

Nairobi, Kenya 27th – 28th October, 2021

WE, the participants from Meru County Government (the host), members of parliament, members of
county assembly, senators, community representatives, private sectors, academia, national government
ministries, health professionals and research scientists attending the 1 st National Scientific Miraa
Conference in Nairobi, Kenya , from 27th to 28th October 2021 and comprising more than 300
participants;

HAVING received scientific evidence and deliberated on the chemical composition of miraa and its
health benefits; impact of production and consumption of miraa on health and social wellbeing; and
challenges and oppournities in the value addition, commercialization and market access for miraa and
its products;

TAKING congnisance that miraa cultivation, harvesting and marketing is a livelihood of the People of
Meru County and it has both cultural and social impact in the entire miraa growing regions;

NOTE with concern (justification of the conference);

THAT there exists trade opportunities in the value addition and diversification of miraa products. The
national government is aware of the existence of legislation, regulation and shrinking of traditional
market;

THAT the scientific evidence on the chemical composition and health effects of miraa indicates that
the cultiva contains chemicals that have strong antimicrobial properties against common bacterial

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THAT there is a confusion of the true legal status of miraa. Miraa is a scheduled crop under the Crops
Act of 2016, however, it also considered a drug under the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drugs Act
which classifies cathinone and cathine as psychotropic drugs;

WE therefore resolve that in order to unlock opportunities in miraa through value addition,
commercialization, and gain access into new markets call for:

Miraa is not a hard drug but contains alkaloids cathinone and cathine which are mild stimulants. There
are compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, sterols and phenols. Some of which have potent anti-
oxidant properties and could be utilized for other health benefits. Therefore, WE call upon the national
government reclassify miraa as a stimulant.

The confusion arising from the legal, regulatory, and classification of miraa extracts, WE class on the
relevant arms of Government to amend various clauses so as to remove miraa from the list of
narcotics and psychostimulants

WE request KEBS and NACADA to be proactive and support the course of miraa stakeholders,

WE requests the national Government to consider and take decisive action to unlock new and
emerging markets as well as reopen traditional markets that have been closed.

CONCLUSION

Miraa is an important cash crop for the people of Meru County which supports the economic
livelihood of over 1.6 million people. This Communique should feed into the inter-ministerial
committee on miraa.