Overview of Tobacco smoking in Kenya: Health Impacts

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Introduction
Tobacco usage is common in all parts of the world. It is a menace that cuts across. Tobacco usage is commonly in form of smoking tobacco that is manufactured such as cigarettes, hand rolled cigarettes, cigars, pipes (Tobacco Atlas, 2015). According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Atlastobacco smoking is prevalent across the work with Russia having 39% occurrence and Nigeria is having 4% prevalence. In most parts of the world, smoking is done by both genders but men smoke more than women. However, the ratio differs and the country with the highest difference in the ratio is Egypt at 76:1. Tobacco smoking has many effects ranging from health and environmental effects. This paper discusses tobacco usage in Kenya, the effects tobacco products have on the economy and the policies that can help in regulating tobacco usage in the country.
Overview of Tobacco smoking in Kenya
Kenya is a country in Africa (East Africa) on the Indian Ocean and has an approximate population of 40 million people. The country has a great number of people who are involved in tobacco smoking. Tobacco products, especially manufactured cigarettes are readily available and are mostly sold by the small vendors in shops and therefore easily accessible to the consumers (Drope 150). According to the Tobacco Atlasmore men than women smoke cigarettes, 20.2 % of the country’s smokers are men while 1.4% are women smokers. Children are also into smoking and 11.2% of children smokers are boys while 5.2% of children smokers are girls. The Kenyan government has been working towards regulating the tobacco industry since it has negative effects on the health of the consumers. We discuss the impacts of tobacco on the health of the consumers and on the economy of Kenya.
Health Impacts
Tobacco smoking has negative health effects on the user. Research has been carried out to determine the connection between tobacco and some diseases. Different research findings have pointed that cigarettes are manufactured using many different chemicals which 70 of those chemicals are toxic and can cause damage to all parts of the smokers’ body. The major illness associated with tobacco is cancer and it can be cancer of the lungs, pancreases, mouth cancer, throat cancer, lip cancer and many others (Global Adult Tobacco Survey Atlas) .
According to Tobacco Atlas causes the deaths of over 6000 people every year in Kenya. The number of people using tobacco in the country continues to increase and that means that more people are at a risk of dying of tobacco related illnesses. Tobacco smoking in Kenya also puts people who are non-smokers at risk. There are places that do not have smoking zones and therefore, smokers and non-smokers are confined in one area which they all get the effects of the smoke. Some people are also just stubborn and want to smoke anywhere, regardless of whether it has a “No Smoking” sign or not.
Tobacco smoking also causes mental illness and addiction. There are people who cannot do without smoking and they will do anything just to ensure they smoke. Addiction to smoking means since the nicotine in tobacco products is addictive, when the effect of cigarettes fade, the smoker is left feeling tired and unmotivated and therefore will continue to smoke more and more in order for you to keep feeling good and energetic (Grave 20). Addiction leads to increase in tobacco usage, which therefore increases the risks of tobacco related illnesses. One becomes mentally attached to tobacco products and cannot function if they do not use these products (Mackay and Eriksen 35). In Kenya people are addicted to smoking and the availability of tobacco products from street vendors is a clear indication that the demand is high.
Environmental Impacts
Tobacco smoking is a form of air pollution. The many chemicals that are used to make tobacco are toxic and other people who are non-smokers should not be exposed to it. The Tobacco Control Act of 2007, listed places that people are allowed to smoke and led to creation of smoking zone areas. Smoking was prohibited in public areas. Public parks in the city are designated to be used as smoking zones, however, it is where smokers and non-smokers go to pass the time (Drope, 149). The non-smokers still get affected by the smoke yet they do not smoke. The law is not fully followed and sometimes you may find people smoking in public places such as public buses, trains and public areas (Mackay and Eriksen 46).
Also tobacco farming has led to deforestation in order to create space for tobacco farming. This action has led to loss of forest reserves and affected the environment since trees help in making areas rainy and have a cool environment. Also tobacco farming affects the soil where the planting occurs. Tobacco does not replenish soil like the other plants do and therefore the tobacco leaves the soil. The tobacco harvested residue cannot be used for manure like the way the other plant residues are normally used. Therefore, there is less manure and residue for animals to feed on (Mackay and Eriksen 34).
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