From smoking to vaping: Kenya’s new public health challenge

The cigarette is losing its grip on Kenya. In its place, a new generation of nicotine products, sleek, discreet, and technology-inspired, is quietly taking hold, and health experts warn the country is not moving fast enough to contain the threat.

For Generation Z, and increasingly Generation Alpha, the cool factor has migrated from combustible tobacco to vapes and nicotine pouches. But beneath the neon packaging, fruity scents, and lifestyle branding, public health officials warn of a fast-growing crisis that risks hooking a new generation on nicotine before they fully understand the consequences.

Recent data paints a troubling picture. Traditional smoking rates in Kenya declined from 12 per cent in 2014 to 9 per cent in 2022, yet tobacco-related illnesses still claim an estimated 12,000 lives each year.

Now, officials fear that emerging nicotine products, marketed as safer alternatives, could reverse the gains made in tobacco control.

"The products are new, but the strategy is not. They are designed to attract young people through flavours, packaging, and the kind of lifestyle they promote," said Celine Awuor, Chief Executive Officer of the International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA), at the launch of a new report examining how tobacco and nicotine products are marketed on digital platforms in Kenya.

The report found that exposure is widespread and frequent. "Eighty-six per cent of respondents told us they use social media multiple times a day, and of these, 86 per cent reported having come across adverts or content promoting tobacco and nicotine products online on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X," Awuor said.

The appeal, experts say, goes far beyond nicotine itself. With more than 250 flavours on the Kenyan market, from bubble-gum to vanilla, these products mask the harshness of first-time smoking, making initiation easier, particularly for children and adolescents.

Social media influence

The study, released by the Kenya Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Response (TIMR) team, found that unlike traditional tobacco advertising, which was largely confined to billboards and print media, today's marketing thrives in the largely unregulated world of social media. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, which are highly popular among Kenyan youth, have become fertile ground for subtle, lifestyle-driven promotion.

Influencers play a critical role in this. Young, trendy, and embedded in fashion, nightlife, or entertainment circles, they are often selected to present nicotine use as part of their everyday lives rather than as a paid endorsement, attending social events, posting content from parties, and casually featuring these products on their pages.

"When a youth sees an influencer at a trendy Nairobi hotspot casually holding a sleek vape or a nicotine pouch, it doesn't feel like a commercial. This tactic leverages aspirational identification: the user isn't buying a product, they are buying a piece of a cool identity," the report notes.

"The tobacco industry is known for collaborating with public figures, DJs, and event organisers to frame vaping as stylish, modern, and convenient. They also promote decriminalisation narratives around shisha and vape use, use humour, trends, and lifestyle content to normalise consumption, and pair vape products with merchandise giveaways," it adds.

As marketing evolves rapidly, regulation is struggling to keep up. Digital advertising is not explicitly defined in Kenya's existing tobacco laws, influencer marketing operates in grey areas around disclosure and accountability, and online sales often lack robust age-verification systems, allowing minors to access nicotine products with relative ease. Ephemeral content, posts that disappear after a short time, makes monitoring and enforcement even harder.

Constant smuggling

At the country's borders, enforcement agencies are grappling with illegal imports and smuggling.

"At the point of entry, our job is to enforce all the relevant laws with regard to public health. We are enforcing the Public Health Act, the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act, and the Tobacco Control Act. Our duty is to safeguard our borders against any threat that can affect the Kenyan population," said Benjamin Murkomen, Head of Ports and Services at the Ministry of Health.

"The country has many porous borders and some of these goods are smuggled in, concealed in everyday items. We have seen vapes disguised as pens, flash disks, and even children's toys like teddy bears. The nicotine in some of these products is also laced with other hard drugs, and research is ongoing to determine exactly what is in them," he noted.

In one high-profile operation, authorities destroyed more than five tonnes of nicotine pouches and vapes intercepted at Eldoret International Airport, bringing the total seized and destroyed between 2024 and 2026 to nearly six tonnes. Mr Murkomen said smuggling hotspots include Isebania, Namanga, Loitoktok, Taveta, and Lunga Lunga.

"Vapes and nicotine pouches are what is most commonly smuggled, and that tells you who the target is. In one of the consignments destroyed, there were items shaped like small teddy bears that turned out to be vapes when opened. If they are targeting children under ten years, then this is very serious. It is a ticking time bomb for our generation," the official said.

Mr Murkomen added that goods smuggled through airports typically come through couriers or are misdeclared, and that strengthening verification systems remains a priority. Non-compliant products that are intercepted are either returned to their country of origin or destroyed at the importer's cost. He acknowledges, however, that enforcement alone is not enough, and that the rapid emergence of these products has outpaced both research and policy responses.

Health experts are also raising concerns about the biological impact of early nicotine exposure. Dr Catherine Karekezi, Executive Director of the NCD Alliance Kenya, said that despite industry marketing that presents vapes as a safer alternative to cigarettes, they are not harmless.

"Vapes contain nicotine, which is the addictive component in tobacco. It is what makes people dependent on smoking," she said.

The concern is not only nicotine itself, but how these products are marketed to children and young people. Unlike traditional cigarettes, which carry graphic health warnings and are heavily regulated, there is little to no clear regulation on nicotine content in these newer products, meaning children could be exposed to dangerously high levels without realising it.

"Nicotine is highly addictive. Once young people start using it, they are likely to continue long-term because they become dependent. But beyond addiction, there are significant effects on the body. One of the most critical concerns is brain development. Adolescents' brains are still developing, and nicotine interferes with that process. It can affect memory, attention, learning, and overall cognitive development," Dr Karekezi said.

"The impact extends beyond the brain. Nicotine also causes narrowing of blood vessels, which increases the risk of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases over time. These are not effects you see immediately; they develop slowly, sometimes over 10 or 15 years. There are also broader behavioural risks, as nicotine and tobacco are often entry points to other drugs of abuse, so the likelihood of young people progressing to other substances is quite high," she added. She pointed to revenue as one of the main reasons for the government's hesitancy to ban tobacco products.

Efforts are underway, however, to bring vape products under existing tobacco control laws, which would allow for stricter regulation. The Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill of 2024 proposes tighter restrictions on online sales and influencer marketing, while advocacy groups are pushing for tougher fiscal measures.

"We are calling for stronger regulation across digital platforms and stricter monitoring of online sales. At the moment, it is too easy for young people to access these products. Because of how they are designed, even parents and teachers may not recognise them as tobacco products. We need awareness at the household, school, and community level," Awuor said.

For Murkomen, the solution is to “reduce the supply through bans to save the future generation.”

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