This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
Published on July 2, 2020, the tobacco industry has been facing a decline in sales and a growing public health concern over the risks associated with smoking.
As a result, tobacco companies have launched a range of alternative products, including e-cigarettes, Swedish snus, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products, which they claim are safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes.
According to the World Health Organisation and Tobacco Controls Board, these products are being marketed with fancy packaging, flavoured tastes, and concealed use, which are aimed at attracting the youth.
However, the industry argues that these products are part of a 'harm reduction' strategy, which is the only way to help smokers who are addicted to smoking.
Kenya has seen a decline in smoking prevalence from 11.6 percent of the adult population in 2014 to 11 percent in 2017, but the overall numbers have grown from 2.5 million to three million.
Experts attending the Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) argue that e-cigarettes will save lives and that harm reduction is the only way to take care of those who cannot quit.
“Smoking is the single biggest cause of non-communicable disease (NCD). It kills half of all those who smoke,” GFN said.
