Kenya Trails African Peers in Shift to Smoke-Free Future Despite Progressive Nicotine Pouch Rules

As the world marks World No Tobacco Day this Sunday, a new report shows that Kenya is significantly lagging its African counterparts and global leaders in fostering a smoke-free society.

According to the “Path to Smoke-Free” global ranking, which assesses 101 countries on their readiness to transition away from harmful combustible tobacco, Kenya ranks 75th overall, placing it in the lower half globally.

The report attributes this disparity to challenges in Affordability (ranking 60 out of 101) and Accessibility (ranking 74 out of 101) for these less harmful alternatives. The current excise regime and proposed restrictions risk making alternatives to cigarettes – such as nicotine pouches and vapes – as difficult to access and as expensive as traditional cigarettes, thereby negating their potential as a harm reduction tool.

Despite its overall ranking, Kenya is ranked amongst the first in the world for having a regulatory framework that recognizes innovative products in the tobacco industry —particularly nicotine pouches—and permits their legal use, marketing, and structured oversight.

However, when compared to other African nations, Kenya’s overall performance in transitioning towards a smoke-free future appears concerning. While Kenya leads in the acceptability of alternative products such as nicotine pouches, its overall ranking is significantly lower than several regional peers:

This comparison reveals that countries like Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Angola, and Ghana, despite varying individual scores, demonstrate a more cohesive approach to making smoke-free products accessible and affordable, leading to higher overall rankings.

Kenya’s high acceptability score for nicotine pouches indicates a recognition of their potential, but the practical barriers of cost and availability hinder their effectiveness in driving down smoking rates.

Kenya currently faces a substantial public health burden from combustible tobacco, with approximately 12,000 adults dying each year from smoking-related diseases. While adult smoking prevalence has decreased from 15% in 2000 to 8% in 2025, this decline is deemed insufficient to resolve the problem within a generation.

Commenting on the ranking, Harm Reduction Society of Kenya Secretary General, Dr. Kariuki Michael, said:

“For Kenya to truly leverage the public health potential of safer alternatives for smokers such as pouches and accelerate its path to a smoke-free society, policymakers must re-evaluate the current tax and access frameworks. By ensuring that less harmful alternatives are genuinely more accessible and affordable than combustible tobacco, Kenya can provide its 2.3 million smokers with a viable and effective means to transition away from cigarettes. This is not just about policy: it is about saving lives and setting an example for the entire African continent.”

On his part, Africa Consumer Advocacy Foundation (ACAF) Executive Director, Anselm Maina, said:

“Kenya has made important strides in recognising safer alternatives to harmful tobacco products, but recognition alone is not enough. When safer alternatives remain expensive or difficult to access, millions of adult smokers are left without viable pathways to move away from cigarettes. If we are serious about saving lives, policies must empower—not hinder- smokers who are trying to switch to less harmful options.”

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