Tobacco control measures are now protecting approximately 75 per cent of the world’s population, according to a new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), launched at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin. The Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report underscores significant progress in reducing tobacco use globally but also warns that many countries, including Kenya, still face major policy and enforcement gaps that could reverse hard-won gains.
The report tracks the implementation of six proven WHO MPOWER strategies that include monitoring tobacco use, protecting people from second-hand smoke, offering quit support, warning about tobacco dangers, enforcing advertising bans and raising tobacco taxes. Since 2007, the number of people covered by at least one of these measures has grown from 1 billion to over 6.1 billion, which is nearly three-quarters of the world’s population.
Brazil, Mauritius, Turkiye and the Netherlands have implemented the full MPOWER package at best-practice level, while seven others are just one measure away. But despite global momentum, 40 countries still lack any of these strategies at full implementation, and over 30 allow cigarette sales without mandatory health warnings.
Kenya’s position is somewhere in between. Notable efforts have been done through the Tobacco Control Act (2007), which aligns with the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Key achievements include the introduction of graphic health warnings on cigarette packets and bans on smoking in public spaces. However, implementation and enforcement remain inconsistent.
National data reflects the continuing challenge. According to Kenya Tobacco Control Data, cigarette smoking among men aged 15 to 49 dropped from 15.8 per cent in 2014 to 9.3 per cent in 2022, while the rate among women rose slightly from 0.4 per cent to 0.7 per cent. Overall, tobacco use remains significantly more common among men than women.
Cigarette smoking is most prevalent, followed by smokeless tobacco such as snuff and kuber, especially among younger and low-income populations. Urban centres report higher rates of use, and tobacco addiction remains a growing public health concern.
A joint 2022 study by Ministry of Health and WHO also spotlighted a trend in the rising popularity of e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) among youth.
In Nairobi, 9.1 per cent of secondary school students reported trying e-cigarettes, even as regulation on these products remains limited. Accessibility online and in retail outlets, often without age verification or health warnings, places adolescents at significant risk.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has also expressed alarm over the resurgence of flavoured tobacco and the continued sale of shisha despite a national ban in 2017. NACADA’s 2022 report identified persistent black market activity, highlighting the challenges of enforcement and the need for stronger regulatory action.
Beyond product control, the report emphasises the importance of public education and cessation services. Globally, anti-tobacco media campaigns have declined, with 110 countries failing to run any since 2022. Kenya has also fallen short in this area, despite the proven impact of targeted, culturally relevant campaigns.
Taxation, one of the most powerful deterrents against tobacco use, remains underused. WHO recommends that tobacco taxes should constitute at least 75 per cent of the retail price to reduce consumption. Kenya’s rate is around 53 per cent, and while there have been excise hikes, the affordability of tobacco products remains a challenge. Illicit trade and counterfeit tobacco further undermine tax policy effectiveness.
The human cost is severe. WHO estimates over seven million people die annually due to tobacco-related illnesses, with another 1.3 million dying from exposure to second-hand smoke. In Kenya, while mortality figures specific to tobacco use are limited, the Ministry of Health attributes thousands of deaths to tobacco-related conditions including cancer, heart disease and respiratory illness.
Community health initiatives in some counties are starting to integrate tobacco cessation into broader public health outreach. Civil society groups, such as the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance, remain active in advocating for policy enforcement and greater investment in youth-focused interventions.
Still, WHO warns that the fight is far from over. “By uniting science, policy and political will, we can create a world where tobacco no longer claims lives, damages economies or steals futures,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
For Kenya, strengthening law enforcement, increasing taxes to global best-practice levels, regulating emerging nicotine products, expanding cessation services and renewing national campaigns could tilt the balance. The tools are in place. What is needed is the political will to act boldly.
