Ministry of Health sounds alarm over rising youth addiction linked to tobacco, calls for tougher laws
PS Muthoni said the Ministry of Health is deeply concerned about the rising use of tobacco across the country, stressing that it often serves as a "gateway" for youth to move on to alcohol, cannabis, and other hard drugs.
Public Health Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni has called for stricter enforcement of tobacco regulations, warning that weak implementation of existing laws is fuelling drug abuse among young people.
Speaking in Kirinyaga County, Muthoni said the Ministry of Health is deeply concerned about the rising use of tobacco across the country, stressing that it often serves as a "gateway" for youth to move on to alcohol, cannabis, and other hard drugs.
More To Read
- MoH rolls out new overseas treatment framework under SHI
- Ministry of Health gazettes list of 36 medical services unavailable in Kenya
- New study: Cannabis threatens fertility for women
- Kenya surpasses global HIV targets as deaths, infections decline
- Cost of sickle cell: How patients are struggling silently with disease burden
- Union demands full implementation of Ruto’s directive on UHC staff absorption
"The menace of drugs continues to threaten families and especially the youth in our households. Illicit brews remain very persistent, and this is a danger even to our health," Muthoni said.
"It is important to note that MoH has picked this with a lot of concern, and the key message we want to tell our people is that tobacco is actually the gateway substance often used by the youth, introducing them to alcohol, bhang and many other hard drugs," the PS explained.
Nationwide crackdown
Muthoni also hinted that the government is considering a nationwide crackdown to curb the misuse of tobacco products, which she described as harmful to both public health and family stability.
"The menace of drugs continues to threaten families and especially the youth in our households. Illicit brews remain very persistent, and this is a danger even to our health," she said.
"The enforcement of rules against tobacco and nicotine use in public has relaxed. There must [be] a reawakening to ensure they [are] implemented at all levels."
Tobacco deaths
According to the Kenya Tobacco Control Data Initiative, tobacco use is linked to nearly 12,000 deaths in Kenya every year. The substance is a leading cause of chronic respiratory and heart diseases, multiple cancers, and diabetes.
Beyond its devastating health impact, experts note that tobacco-related illnesses often result in long-term disability and premature deaths, placing a heavy financial burden on families, the healthcare system, and the wider economy.
In June, Kenya introduced a new set of graphic health warnings on all tobacco products as part of its anti-smoking campaign.
The move, aligned with the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), aims to discourage tobacco use—particularly among the youth—and protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of smoking and second-hand smoke.
This marks the third rollout of image-based warnings since Kenya first adopted text-only labels in 2008, later expanding to graphic warnings in 2016.
Top Stories Today
