Over 650,000 Kenyan children aged 10-17 using tobacco or nicotine, Health Ministry warns

More than 650,000 children aged 10 to 17 years in Kenya have used tobacco or nicotine products, according to alarming new data revealed by the Ministry of Health.

Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni voiced serious concern over the growing number of children experimenting with these harmful substances, a trend she said is being driven by aggressive marketing and attractive packaging.

Speaking during a media briefing, Muthoni warned that tobacco and nicotine use among children is not only rising but is being fueled by deliberate strategies from the tobacco industry.

These include the use of brightly colored packaging and targeted advertising on social media platforms, which makes harmful products appear trendy and harmless.

Nationwide crackdown

In response, the Ministry of Health has initiated a nationwide crackdown on the sale and distribution of illegal tobacco and nicotine products.

“We are asking parents and telling them that they are very key stakeholders. They must help us, and we must work together to protect the future generation, especially by reducing tobacco and nicotine use in this country,” said Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni.

Muthoni also raised concerns about licensed merchants who, after receiving approvals, switch products for more dangerous ones.

She assured that the Ministry will continue shutting down shops found to be selling unregulated or misleading products.

"In this year's theme, we are unmasking the appeal and exposing the industry's tactics and especially marketing through social media. We want to warn the tobacco industry that we will continue the crackdown, we are going to stop you from bringing products that are going to be dangerous to Kenyans," Muthoni said.

Unbranded tobacco products

While many people primarily associate tobacco with cigarettes, the public remains largely unaware of the variety of other tobacco products, some of which are unbranded, that are sold on the streets.

Unbranded tobacco products, especially those consumed by young people, present significant health risks due to their illegal production and the inclusion of unverified harmful substances. These products often contain toxic chemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals.

For example, certain e-cigarettes have been found to contain dangerous chemicals like diacetyl, which can cause severe lung damage.

The lack of regulation and transparency in producing these products leaves consumers unaware of the associated risks, exacerbating the growing public health crisis.

Preventable deaths

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths globally, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region bearing a significant burden.

According to WHO, the Region has the highest smoking rates among adolescent boys, with countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt ranking among the highest globally.

The promotion of new nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, has led to higher dependency rates among vulnerable groups.

Globally, the WHO reports that 37 million children aged 13 to 15 years use tobacco.

In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, smoking rates in some areas have reached 43 per cent among adolescent boys (aged 13 to 15 years) and 20 per cent among adolescent girls.