NAIROBI, Kenya – The Ministry of Health has expressed growing concern over the rising use of tobacco and nicotine products among children and women, warning that the trend poses a serious public health threat.
Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni revealed that more than 100,000 children aged between 10 and 17 are already using vape products, with a noticeable increase in smoking among women driven by the popularity of flavoured and attractively packaged tobacco items.
“If you look at the number of children between 10 and 17 taking vape, it’s already more than 100,000,” Muthoni said during an interview on NTV’s Fixing the Nation. “The rise of smoking among women is now higher than men because of the appealing products entering the market.”
She attributed the surge to lax enforcement of tobacco control regulations, particularly around the marketing and packaging of vape products.
Many of these items, she noted, are designed to attract younger users and first-time smokers, especially women and minors.
In response, the government has suspended all existing licenses and import clearances for nicotine-related products—including vapes, nicotine pouches, and related items—as part of a broader crackdown on the unregulated tobacco market.
The suspension aims to enforce compliance with the Tobacco Control Act and protect vulnerable populations from targeted marketing.
The Ministry has also introduced 17 mandatory graphic health warnings that manufacturers and sellers must display on all nicotine products.
These warnings are intended to deter use by highlighting the health risks associated with smoking and vaping.
“These products are not just unregulated and cheap—they’re dangerous. They poison our young generation,” Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said during the incineration of over 5.5 tonnes of illicit tobacco products at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
The exercise marked the 2025 World No Tobacco Day.
The destroyed products were seized at Eldoret International Airport, as authorities ramp up efforts to curb the influx of illicit tobacco in Kenya.
Health officials are calling for greater collaboration among regulators, parents, schools, and community leaders to address the growing threat, especially among youth.
