Prevalence of Tobacco Use
in Kenya
During the same period, the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults aged 15-49 years decreased from 8.1% to 5% and that of smokeless tobacco decreased from 1.4% to 1.3%
Cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products. Between 2014 and 2022, the prevalence of cigarette smoking among men aged 15-49 years dropped from 15.8% to 9.3%.
For women, this prevalence increased from 0.4% to 0.7%.
Tobacco use increases with age and is more common among those with primary education or no education. Eleven out of the 47 counties have prevalence of tobacco use exceeding 10%.
This page provides insights into the current prevalence of tobacco use by different sub-groups in the country. Current prevalence is defined as tobacco use in the past 30 days.
The insights are derived from the Kenya Demographic Health Surveys (DHSs) of 2014 and 2022, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) of 2014, the Tobacco Alcohol and Drug Abuse Survey (TADSAS) of 2022, the National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) 2019 survey on substance use among primary school pupils in Kenya, and the Global Youth Tobacco Surveys (GYTSs) of 2007 and 2013.
Overall Prevalence
of Tobacco Use
In 2022, 8.5% of Kenyans (2.3 million people) aged 15 to 65 years used any tobacco products (smoked and smokeless).
This was down from 11.6% (2.5 million users) in 2014.Prevalence of tobacco use among adults 15-65 years: 2014 - 2022
Source: TCDI representation using Kenya GATS (2014) and TADSAS (2022)
The prevalence of use of any tobacco products among men aged 15 to 65 years decreased from 19.1% in 2014 to 16.4% in 2022 (Figure 1). Because of population growth during this period, the number of any tobacco users remained fixed at about 2.0 million men. For women, the prevalence of use of any tobacco product decreased from 4.5% (0.5 million users) to 2.0% (0.3 million users). This gender disparity is common globally and reflects social traditions about smoking.
Both non-smokers and current smokers were similarly aware of the harmful effects of smoking, with 92% of non-smokers and 89% of current smokers recognizing that smoking causes severe illnesses.
Prevalence of Tobacco Use
by Product
Manufactured cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products in Kenya, with a prevalence of 5.0%, and smokeless tobacco (snuff and chewing tobacco) is the least commonly used product, with the overall prevalence of 1.3% among adults aged 15-49 years.
The overall prevalence of different tobacco products: 2014 - 2022
Source: TCDI representation using Kenya DHS (2014 & 2022)
Trends in Cigarette Smoking
The overall cigarette smoking among Kenyans aged 15-49 decreased from 8.1% (in 2014) to 5.0% (in 2022).
Trends in cigarette smoking among adults aged 15-49 years
Source: TCDI representation using Kenya DHS (2014 & 2022)
Between 2014 and 2022, cigarette smoking prevalence dropped (from 15.8% to 9.3%) among men and increased (from 0.4% to 0.9%) among women.
Prevalence of cigarettes among men in 2022
Source: TCDI representation using Kenya DHS (2022)
In 2022, more men than women used different tobacco products, with manufactured cigarettes having the highest prevalence rate of 9.3% among men compared to 0.7% among women.
Except for adolescents [i.e., 15-19 years age group], most men who smoked cigarettes preferred manufactured cigarettes over RYO cigarettes.Trends in Smokeless Tobacco Use
Between 2014 and 2022 the overall prevalence of smokeless tobacco use decreased slightly from 1.4% (in 2014) to 1.3% (in 2022). In absolute numbers, this prevalence corresponds to 0.32 million users in 2014 and 0.35 million users in 2022. The overall number of smokeless tobacco users, particularly male users, went up due to population growth during this period.
Trends in smokeless tobacco use among adults aged 15-49 years
Source: TCDI representation using Kenya DHS (2014 & 2022)
The overall number of smokeless tobacco users, particularly male users, went up due to population growth during this period. The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use among men went up from 1.9% to 2.0%, while that of women women went down from 0.9% to 0.6%
Prevalence of Tobacco Use
Among Students
Prevalence of Tobacco Use Among Primary School Students
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) conducted a survey in 2018 to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and use of drugs among primary school children in the country. The survey determined the percentage of primary school pupils who had ever used tobacco products as well as those currently using tobacco products. In this survey, the current prevalence of tobacco use (any tobacco) was 3.2%; 91% of the pupils considered tobacco to be harmful.
Prevalence of tobacco use among primary school students
Notes: The majority (62%) of respondents were in the 8-13 years age group, 36% were in the 14-16 years age group, and a few (3%) were in the older age group (17-20 years).
Source: TCDI representation using NACADA, 2018
Current tobacco use was highest in the 17-20 year age group (7.2%). This group of students is too old to be in primary school ( such students would typically have repeated several grades). The prevalence was lowest in the 14-16 year age group (2.7%). The median age when tobacco-using children first started using tobacco products was 10 years, while the minimum age was eight years.
Trends in Tobacco Use Among School-Going Adolescents
The prevalence of cigarette smoking among students dropped from 15.3% to 5% between 2007 and 2013.
Trends in cigarette smoking among adolescents aged 11-17 years
Source: TCDI representation using Kenya GYTS (2007 & 2013)
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) is a school-based survey that collects data on tobacco use from students in Standard 7, Standard 8, Form 1 and Form 2 aged 11 – 17 years. Between 2007 and 2013, the prevalence of cigarette use was higher among boys than girls, and decreased sharply for both genders over this period.
Prevalence of Tobacco Use
by County
Prevalence of Tobacco Use by County by Gender, 2022
- Tobacco Prevalence|
- 0% - 8.7%
- 8.8% - 17.5%
- 17.6% - 26.3%
- 26.4% - 35.2%
- |
Tobacco Growing Counties: Bungoma, Busia, Embu, Homa Bay, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Kitui, Machakos, Meru, Migori, Murang’a
Source: Kenya DHS (2022)
Although national prevalence of any tobacco use among adults aged 15-65 years is at 8.5%,
11 out of the 47 counties have prevalence of at least 10%: Samburu (22.3%), Murang’a (15.9%), Meru (15.2%), Tharaka-Nithi (13.6%), Embu (11.7%), Isiolo (11.7%), Makueni (11.7%), Marsabit (11.6), Taita/Taveta (10.7%), Mombasa (10.4%), and Kitui (10.0%). The prevalence of tobacco use is higher among men than women in all counties. Programs aimed at reducing tobacco use and its related burdens should be prioritized in these counties.
Reflections on Trends of Tobacco Use
in Kenya
Kenya has made very substantial progress in reducing tobacco use in nearly all products, both among school-going adolescents and adults.
This mirrors the decline in the prevalence of tobacco use in 150 countries across the world. This downward trend is primarily due to the commitment of individual countries in excellently implementing at least one of the WHO FCTC recommended demand-reduction measures.
Among Kenyan adolescents, the prevalence of cigarette smoking and other tobacco products declined nationally and in both boys and girls. Among Kenyan adults, the prevalence of tobacco use dropped nationally, and in both genders. In terms of product types, cigarette smoking dropped substantially nationally. Gender Wise, cigarette smoking still dropped among men. Although cigarette smoking prevalence is still low among women (below 1%), it increased substantially by 75% (0.4% to 0.7%). Smokeless tobacco use prevalence dropped nationally and across gender groups, older age groups, and education levels (especially among the highly prevalent group [those with no education]).There are a couple of reasons for the increase in smoking (e.g., cigarettes) among women despite the fact that the overall prevalence has declined. First, the increase in smoking could be due to the increase in population growth. Second, the tobacco industry primarily targets women in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) since they know they have a lower tobacco use prevalence compared to men. The industry considers women and the youth in LMIC as an “untapped market”.
Tobacco Control Policy Landscape
From 2007 to 2022, the decrease in tobacco use among adolescents and adults in Kenya can be explained by a series of tobacco control policies that took place as shown in the following Figure.
The Kenya Tobacco Control Act of 2007 was adopted and it came into force in June 2008. This Act involved restricting smoking in public places, indoors, and on public transport; banning tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS), and implementing written health warnings on cigarette packs. Specifically, there was a strong compliance with the comprehensive ban on TAPS.
Implications of decreasing tobacco prevalence
The sharp decrease in tobacco use prevalence has ripple effects. It is associated with health improvement and decreases in numerous outcomes such as tobacco-related deaths, poverty, pollution, deforestation, and economic costs. This suggests that Kenya is on the right path to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) closely linked to tobacco control (decrease in tobacco use prevalence). Specifically, reducing smoking prevalence brings positive benefits and strengthens the achievement of the 67 targets of the SDGs.
Despite these positive improvements in tobacco control, Kenya should strive to utilize WHO FCTC Article 5.3 to limit its interaction with the tobacco industry in tobacco control policy making. The country should also return to the effective and easily administered uniform specific tax structure, and abandon the tiered tax structure, which is considered complicated. Adjustment of the annual tobacco taxes by the inflation rate should also be reinstated as a requirement in law to ensure that the real price of the tobacco products is not eroded by inflation. Global evidence shows that young people are more responsive to tax and price increases than adults; as such, taxes are effective in reducing smoking prevalence among this population.
Kenya should further increase its tobacco taxes to discourage young people from initiating to smoke, which would ultimately reduce adult tobacco use.
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