E-cigarette use among teenagers on the rise in Kenya

According to anti-tobacco lobbies lead by Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (KETCA), companies manufacturing e-cigarettes are using packaging that attracts the teens into buying and use the product.

The highly addictive products, which include e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, are popular among Kenyan schoolchildren and adolescents.

Thomas Lindi, KETCA Coordinator says the number of teens using the products has been on the rise lately due the marketing gimmicks being used by the manufacturers.

“All these tobacco emerging products have been designed in a manner that they are targeting the upcoming generation of tobacco users, they also market using social media pages,” said Lindi.

Lindi notes that the manufacturers are using calculated moved to capture their attention and continue making profit at the expense of the teen’s health.

“A lot of these products are marketed on social media where you wouldn’t find the older generation visiting those platforms. As the older generation is aging, they want to capture the new market." 

The anti-tobacco lobby groups which include the National Taxpayers Association (NTA), the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance of Kenya (NCDAK), the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (KETCA), the Kenyan Network of Cancer Organizations (KENCO) and Den of Hope call on the government to completely ban them from to protect the youth who are the largest consumers.

Meanwhile, the lobby groups have declared their support on the ongoing review of Kenya's Tobacco Control Act, 2007 and Regulation, 2014.

They note that the momentum for the review of Kenya Tobacco Control Act and Regulations has steadily gained traction, signaling a pivotal moment in the nation’s journey towards a healthier, tobacco-free future.

The Ministry of Health began the process to amend the Tobacco Control Act to restrict nicotine products.