The Kenyan government has stepped up its fight against tobacco addiction, destroying 5.5 tonnes of illicit tobacco products.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale led the exercise at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) on May 31, while marking World No Tobacco Day.

The event served as a wake-up call to the public about the dangers of tobacco use, especially among the youth.

Presiding over the destruction, Duale announced the immediate suspension of all licenses and import permits for nicotine and related substances.

He gave manufacturers, importers, and distributors a 21-day window to reapply and prove full compliance with Kenya’s Tobacco Control Act of 2007.

“These products, including shisha, gutkha, and e-cigarettes, are destroying the health of our youth. Many contain dangerous chemicals that attack the brain and lungs,” Duale said during the event.

Addiction on the rise. 

Tobacco remains one of Kenya’s deadliest public health challenges, killing nearly 12,000 people annually.

According to the 2022 Tobacco and Drug Substance Abuse Survey (TADSAS), about 2.3 million Kenyans aged 15–65 use tobacco or nicotine.

Shockingly, the average age of first-time use is now just six years.

Among adolescents aged 10–17, at least 622,000 have tried tobacco, with 244,000 being current users.

Boys are more likely to use tobacco (3.18%) compared to girls (1.8%). Youth out of school are especially vulnerable, with higher rates of smokeless tobacco use compared to their peers in school.

New threat: Nicotine pouches, flavoured E-cigarettes. 

E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are rapidly gaining popularity, particularly among university students and urban youth.

These products are often viewed as trendy and less harmful, but experts warn they are just as addictive.

Among Kenyan adults aged 15 and above, 5.6% use e-cigarettes, with usage rising to 7.9% in higher-income areas.

Among university students, 4.2% use nicotine pouches and 5.8% vape. Many users are drawn by the flavours and sleek, candy-like packaging.

“I started using it in 2019 when it was branded as Lyft. It was marketed as safe, but after just a week, I was hooked,” said Patricia Kemboi, a Nairobi resident.

These pouches often contain up to 17mg of nicotine—more than double the amount in some cigarettes, and are marketed in youth-friendly flavours and packaging that resemble sweets or cosmetics.

Marketing tactics target young and unaware. 

Tobacco companies continue to find new ways to target young people through deceptive advertising and social media.

Colourful designs, cartoon-branded vapes, and influencer partnerships are some of the tactics used.

Recent data shows 40% of adolescents have seen tobacco used in films, music videos, and social media. Around 10.5% of teens also see tobacco advertising at local kiosks and shops.

“Peer pressure, what teens call Mbogi influence, makes it worse,” said global health advocate Ogweno Stephen. “These companies know exactly what they’re doing: hooking a new generation.”

First-hand struggles with addiction. 

John Mosian, a university student, recalls how his job managing shisha at events turned into a full-blown addiction.

“Puffing was just part of the job. But after a few times, I couldn’t stop. And it’s common, especially at miraa chewing gatherings where people mix shisha with bhang.”

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These stories reflect the broader crisis: a generation at risk, caught in a cycle of addiction marketed as modern and harmless.

War against tobacco must involve families, schools. 

Experts are now urging urgent and united action to reverse the trend. “If we don’t act now, we’ll lose an entire generation to tobacco,” warned Ogweno.

Family therapist Eveline Kasina added that schools and parents must play a role: “Create smoke-free environments, talk openly about the dangers, and help children quit without judgment.”