Harm Reduction Society of Kenya Secretary General Dr. Kariuki Michael Calls for Affordable Safer Alternatives as Kenya Lags in Harm Reduction Efforts

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Kenya is falling behind many African countries in adopting harm reduction strategies that could accelerate the transition to a smoke-free society, according to a newly released global report ahead of World No Tobacco Day.

The report, titled Path to Smoke-Free Global Ranking, places Kenya at position 75 out of 101 countries assessed on their readiness to move smokers away from harmful combustible tobacco products to safer alternatives such as nicotine pouches and vapes. The report highlights concerns over affordability and accessibility barriers, despite Kenya being recognised for having a regulatory framework that permits innovative tobacco alternatives.

According to the findings, Kenya ranks 60th in affordability and 74th in accessibility of safer nicotine alternatives, raising concerns that current tax regimes and proposed restrictions could make such products as expensive and difficult to access as traditional cigarettes. Stakeholders argue this undermines their role as a harm reduction tool for adult smokers.

Compared to regional peers such as Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, and Morocco, Kenya’s overall ranking paints a worrying picture, despite scoring highly on acceptability of alternative nicotine products. Experts say countries that have made safer products more affordable and accessible are better positioned to reduce smoking-related harm.

Kenya continues to face a significant public health challenge linked to tobacco use, with an estimated 12,000 adults dying annually from smoking-related diseases. While smoking prevalence among adults has declined from 15 percent in 2000 to 8 percent in 2025, stakeholders believe the pace of decline remains too slow to eliminate the problem within a generation.

Speaking on the findings, Harm Reduction Society of Kenya Secretary General Dr. Kariuki Michael called for policymakers to rethink taxation and access policies to make safer alternatives more affordable and accessible to smokers seeking to quit combustible cigarettes.

Similarly, Africa Consumer Advocacy Foundation Executive Director Anselm Maina said recognising safer alternatives alone is not enough, noting that policies should empower adult smokers to transition to less harmful products by ensuring they are readily available and affordable.

The report comes as the world prepares to mark World No Tobacco Day, renewing conversations around public health interventions and strategies aimed at reducing smoking-related illnesses and deaths in Kenya.

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