Health Ministry warns of rising nicotine use among youth, women

The Ministry of Health has issued a warning concerning the alarming rise in nicotine consumption among youths and women, highlighting the significant health risks for future generations.

Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni stressed on Saturday that attractive packaging is enticing many to start using these harmful substances.

"Stay away from vapes, electric cigars, and nicotine. These are causing diseases that you often question their origins," Muthoni cautioned.

In Kenya, vaping gained popularity in 2017 after the shisha ban, with diverse flavours and the economic advantages of rechargeable kits adding to its appeal.

Nicotine is an addictive substance found in Tobacco. It is the primary reinforcing component of tobacco; it drives tobacco addiction.

According to the National Library of Medicine, nicotine use can have many different effects on the body, which include: anxiety, depression, drowsiness or trouble sleeping, bad dreams and nightmares, headaches and problems concentrating.

According to the 2022 National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) report, 1 in 12 Kenyans aged 15 to 65—totaling 2,305,929 individuals—used tobacco products. The report also highlighted significant uptake among females, with 1 in 6 males and 1 in 50 females in the same age group using tobacco.

According to the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), trends show increasing tobacco product use among young adolescents, particularly girls.

APHRC notes that despite relatively low overall tobacco prevalence in Africa compared to other regions, aggressive marketing by tobacco companies in low- and middle-income countries has driven this surge. Efforts to curb tobacco use among vulnerable populations, including youth and women, have seen limited success, as evidenced by rising statistics.

A survey by NACADA and the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) found that 6.0% of primary school students and 14.5% of secondary school students in Kenya had used tobacco, primarily cigarettes, at rates of 9.2%.

The tobacco industry's marketing efforts play a pivotal role in influencing adolescent behaviour, with flavoured products like mint and strawberry appealing to young users. In Kenya, there's a concerning trend of teenagers trying tobacco due to enticing packaging and misleading marketing portraying products as harmless.

APHRC notes that these tactics by tobacco industries normalise smoking among women and foster a false sense of empowerment and independence. Additionally, tobacco products are readily available from small shops to supermarkets, making them accessible to young people. Shockingly, most underage adolescents report no difficulty purchasing tobacco due to lax enforcement.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that tobacco-related diseases claim about 22,000 women's lives annually globally. Early smoking initiation increases the risk of chronic conditions like impaired lung function, cancers, respiratory disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Tobacco use during pregnancy also poses risks to maternal and fetal health. Furthermore, tobacco-related healthcare costs strain economies by reducing productivity.

The global surge in vaping since 2020 has raised concerns, with Johns Hopkins Medicine linking it to lung injuries and deaths associated with e-cigarette use, particularly due to Vitamin E acetate found in cannabis vaping products.

The WHO's "Hooking the Next Generation" report highlights the alarming rate of e-cigarette use among adolescents globally, surpassing adult use in many countries.

E-cigarettes, designed to simulate smoking without burning tobacco, come in various forms such as cigalikes, vape pens, pod systems, and mods, each containing a battery, heating element, and liquid cartridge.

Despite marketed claims of reduced harm, the WHO warns of their high addictiveness and serious health risks, including carcinogen production and heightened heart and lung disease risks. Their use during youth can impair brain development, leading to learning and anxiety disorders.

Criticism of the tobacco industry focuses on minimising addiction and health risks while targeting youth with appealing designs, flavours, and aggressive marketing.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Jorge Alday from STOP at Vital Strategies advocate stringent regulations, bans on flavoured e-cigarettes, increased taxes, and public awareness campaigns to counter these strategies.