Bar Owners Association of Kenya secretary general Boniface Gachoka leads a procession to Parliament to present a petition against the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday September 24, 2025. /CASAA majority of Kenyans would rather see smokers switch to safer nicotine alternatives than continue using conventional cigarettes, a new survey shows, even as lawmakers push for a Bill that could severely restrict e-cigarettes.
The survey, commissioned by Campaign for Safer Alternatives (Casa), found that 83 per cent of respondents support the government adopting tobacco harm reduction (THR) policies, while only 6 per cent opposed them.
An equally strong 85 per cent said encouraging smokers to switch to safer options such as nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes would help them quit conventional cigarettes altogether.
The survey was conducted between August 29 and September 4, 2025. Polling results are based on an online survey that involved 1,022 respondents.
The findings stand in sharp contrast to the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2024, sponsored by ODM Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma, which seeks to amend the Tobacco Control Act of 2007.
The Bill currently before the Senate proposes a ban on flavoured vapes and nicotine pouches, imposes strict nicotine limits, and defines these alternatives as tobacco products, a move that would effectively regulate them out of use.
The public, however, sees things differently. Nearly two in three Kenyans – 63 per cent – believe the government should actively run campaigns encouraging smokers to switch to safer alternatives.
Many respondents said treating vapes and nicotine pouches in the same way as combustible cigarettes does not make sense, warning that restrictions will only drive up smoking rates.
"The government should regulate nicotine products fairly. Banning safer nicotine products while allowing sales of traditional cigarettes, which are much more harmful, will only grow the black market," they said.
Three out of four respondents (73 per cent) held that view. Among current users of safer alternatives, the figure rose to 81 per cent.
Only 7 per cent of users thought it would be very difficult to obtain illicit flavoured products if the ban is passed.
Concerns about Kenya’s already widespread illicit cigarette trade compound the matter.
Almost one in every two cigarettes smoked in the country – about 45 per cent – is illegal. Yet only 16 per cent of respondents felt the government is doing enough to fight the black market.
Many fear the Bill risks pushing nicotine products down the same path, undermining legitimate, tax-paying businesses and wiping out jobs in the process.
Casa chairman Joseph Magero, who quit smoking by switching to safer alternatives, warned that history has already shown prohibition to be counterproductive.
“Bans and excessive restrictions will only drive consumers to criminals, fuel unemployment and deepen poverty,” he said.
“We’ve seen prohibition fail worldwide: in Germany, banning the sale of nicotine pouches created a booming black market, with over a million people now buying illegally. Kenya’s illicit cigarette trade already controls 45 per cent of the market, and this Bill will make a bad situation worse.”
Magero added that effective regulation should focus on protecting young people while ensuring adult smokers have access to safer products that can help them quit.
“The life-saving potential of smoke-free products depends on smart regulation,” he said.
“Casa supports rules that prevent underage use but keep safer alternatives accessible and affordable for adults. Smokers must be given clear, unbiased information, not misleading claims equating these products to cigarettes.”
The survey results come just a week after bar owners and retailers’ associations petitioned the Senate to halt further proceedings on the Bill until their demands are addressed, including calls for enhanced public participation.
With the Bill now before the Senate, the stage is set for a heated debate.
On one side, Kenyans appear to be strongly in favour of policies that promote harm reduction and encourage smokers to quit through safer alternatives.
On the other hand, lawmakers are advancing legislation that critics warn could backfire, fuelling illicit trade and undermining public health.
