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A new report dubbed “International Tobacco Control Study (2018) Kenya Report” released by the Health Ministry today, in commemorating of the World No Tobacco Day, found that introduction of picture warnings significantly increased the effectiveness of warnings.
The International Tobacco Control Kenya Surveys found that awareness of the warnings increased from 64 per cent to 72 per cent of smokers.
“…thinking about the health risks of smoking increased from 28 per cent to 43 per cent of smokers. Smokers who said that health warnings made them “a lot” more likely to quit increased from 24 per cent to 38 per cent,” stated the survey.
According to the Health Ministry, every year, more than 8,100 Kenyans die of tobacco related diseases, while more than 220,000 children and more than 2,737,000 adults continue to use tobacco each day.
Therefore, prevention and cessation services are important to save the lives of Kenyans.
The Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe noted that tobacco and nicotine products, when consumed as intended by the manufacturer are lethal products.
“It is for this reason that the Member States to the World Health Organization adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC),” he stated.
The treaty is the blueprint for government’s response to the tobacco epidemic.
According to Mutahi, Kenya signed and ratified the WHO-FCTC in 2004 and has comprehensively integrated it in our national laws vide the Tobacco Control Act of 2007.
“The purpose of the Tobacco Control Act is to protect the Kenyans citizens both adults, youth, children, smokers and non-smokers as well as tobacco-farmers,” he said.
The provisions of the Act have facilitated effective policy interventions to reduce the demand and supply of these poisonous products through a multi-sectoral approach to facilitate a whole-of government integration and Technical Working Groups.
Tobacco is a major risk factor to Non-Communicable Diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes.
Moreover, people living with these conditions are more vulnerable to severe Covid-19.
Tobacco smoking damages the lung tissue therefore predisposing the smokers to severe form of Covid-19 not to mention the transmission during the process of smoking where tobacco users share the cigarettes and other products.
Covid-19 pandemic has led to millions of tobacco users saying they want to quit and would want support to come out of these deadly addiction.
“Commit to Quit” is to help create healthier environments that are conducive to quitting tobacco by advocating for strong tobacco cessation policies; increasing access to cessation services; raising awareness of tobacco industry tactics, and empowering tobacco users.
“To create an environment conducive to quitting tobacco, we are working very closely with other ministries, department agencies and counties to implement tobacco control measures that effectively reduce the demand and supply of tobacco,” Kagwe noted.
The ITC Kenya report also identified the need for the Government of Kenya to strengthen tobacco control efforts.
Smokeless tobacco is the primary form of tobacco used by Kenyan women.
The survey found that only 12 per cent of smokeless tobacco users reported noticing health warnings “often” on smokeless tobacco.
The report described a challenge to reducing tobacco use is the high rate of single cigarettes.
The 2018 survey found that 82 per cent of smokers reported last purchasing single cigarettes rather than a pack, about the same as in 2012.
There is a need for Kenya’s existing ban on packs containing fewer than 12 cigarettes to be more strongly enforced.
There is also a need for Kenya to increase the size of their health warnings, from their current 30 per cent to at least 50 per cent, which is the required size of warnings under the FCTC, the report says.
The survey also found that even smokers support stronger health warnings and other tobacco control policies.
73 per cent of smokers are in favour of more health information on cigarette health warnings and 84 per cent are in favour of more health information on smokeless tobacco warnings.
The ITC survey also highlighted the threat from menthol cigarettes, which are particularly popular in Kenya: about 1 in 5 smokers in Kenya who have a regular brand of cigarettes smoked menthols, higher than in most high-income countries.
Over two-thirds of Kenyan smokers incorrectly believe that menthols are less harmful than cigarettes.
Canada and the European Union have banned menthol cigarettes because menthol reduces the harshness of tobacco smoke, which makes it easier for children and young adults to take up smoking.
The report calls for Kenya to join more than 30 countries and jurisdictions that have banned menthol cigarettes, including Canada, Senegal, Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, and the EU.
The survey is part of the 29-country ITC Project, which since 2002, has evaluated policies of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), a global health treaty which Kenya ratified in 2004.
The Government calls on all Kenyans, especially young people to join the fight to become a tobacco-free generation now and in future.
“I call on all tobacco users to quit. Call the 1192 toll-free number for help or visit your nearest health facility,” Kagwe appealed.
Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship is banned in Kenya. However, we have noted that new and emerging products have been manufactured and traded with an attempt to subvert the law by claiming they are either non-tobacco or non-nicotine.
“We call on the County Governments and customs department to ensure that all enforcement officers confiscate such products and take the necessary action against them. These products include nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, Heat-not-burn tobacco and nicotine products.
“We will do all that it takes with systematic, aggressive and sustained control of sale and marketing of tobacco including nicotine products to protect the current and future generations of this Country,” he said.
The Government together with partners, has created strong digital platforms where people can find information and social support they need to quit.
has partnered with WHO and NACAD to ensure that callers have access to advice, toll-free quit lines, mobile and digital cessation services, nicotine replacement therapies & other tools that are proven to help people quit.
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