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.
The survey found that only 12 per cent of smokeless tobacco users reported noticing health warnings “often” on smokeless tobacco.
There is a need for Kenya’s existing ban on packs containing fewer than 12 cigarettes to be more strongly enforced.
