• The African Centre for Corrective and Preventive Action argues in a petition that tobacco companies take advantage of teenagers through targeted advertising.
• It further says raising the age will deter tobacco manufacturers from deliberately marketing tobacco products to teenagers and young adults
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You might soon be required to reach 21 years to be allowed to access tobacco and tobacco-flavoured products.
In an effort to cushion teenagers and young adults from health risks associated with tobacco use, a local non-governmental organisation has petitioned the National Assembly and the Senate to raise the minimum legal age of access to 21 years.
The African Centre for Corrective and Preventive Action argues in a petition that tobacco companies take advantage of teenagers and young adults’ through targeted advertising.
It further says raising the age will deter tobacco manufacturers from deliberately marketing tobacco products to teenagers and young adults in order to recruit additional smokers and boost incomes of companies.
By 2030, the death toll will exceed eight million a year, unless urgent action is takenMwangi Macharia
“Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the world today, and is estimated to kill more than five million people every year – more than tuberculosis, HIV-Aids and malaria combined,” ACCPA executive chairman Mwangi Macharia said.
“By 2030, the death toll will exceed eight million a year, unless urgent action is taken.”
He is of the opinion that increasing the age may delay smoking initiation among youth, leading to lower prevalence rates thus saving millions of dollars in health care costs and improving the quality of life in the country.
Macharia warned that consumption of tobacco can result in immediate adverse health effects such as increased inflammation, increased oxidative stress, impaired immunity, respiratory problems, and addiction to nicotine.
According to the official, despite an individual being perceived to possess the necessary intellectual skills to make informed choices about smoking at 18 years, research shows that they may lack the social and emotional maturity to control impulses, resist peer pressure and fully appreciate the risk involved with cigarette use.
“Increasing the minimum legal age of access to tobacco and tobacco-flavoured products to 21 years will lower the possibility that a primary or secondary school student will be in a position to legally purchase tobacco products for other learners and underage peers,” he said.
He noted that while the Tobacco Act of 2007 established the minimum age of legal access to tobacco products at 18 years, less than 50 per cent of the adult smokers attain daily smoking habits before 18 years while approximately 80 per cent become daily smokers before turning 21 years hence the need to raise the access age.
But weighing in on the matter, the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance has questioned the intention of the organisation, saying very little is known about it.
KETCA chairperson Joel Gitali further noted that it will be reckless to amend the act before what exists becomes implemented, adding that opening up an act for amendments will open doors for other unnecessary amendments.
“The industry is normally very cunning. You can propose 21 years but when it goes to the floor [of the House] further amendments are made so that even 21 can come to 16.
“We are seeing that as something that could have been good but the people who are doing it are not known to us and then we also feel that what we have has not been implemented, it will amount to being reckless,” Gitali added.
Gitali said the NGO has not been working with tobacco control players in the country at all so it is questionable how they came from nowhere and start filing petitions to change the law.