Head of Nairobi county Tobacco Control Unit Anthony Muthemba has called for a multisectoral approach to fight shisha smoking in the county.
Former Health CS Cleopa Mailu banned shisha on December 28, 2017, saying its use had encouraged the peddling of hard drugs.
Despite the ban, numerous entertainment joints still offer the substance to revelers.
“There are joints that are still doing shisha and the major challenge we are facing as enforcement officers is is that the people who own these establishments in this city are untouchables, so enforcement officers are faced with lot of intimidation,” Muthemba said.
The cost per bong ranges from Sh400-2,000, depending on the location. It is a booming business and sellers earn up to Sh20,000 per day.
The official complained that at times when raids are organised by the enforcement officers the plan is leaked.
“We collect the intelligence and say we are going to a specific place to do enforcement but when we go to that place there is nothing. You will not find anybody smoking shisha nor the paraphernalia,” eh said.
Muthemba said county officers work from 8am to 5pm hence the need to involve the National Police Service whose officers work 24 hours.
He noted that at times as a unit they are incapacitated in terms of logistics and human resource.
According to the World Health Organisation, the volume of smoke inhaled in an hour-long shisha session is estimated to be the equivalent of smoking between 100 and 200 cigarettes.
Kenya became the third country in the region to impose a ban on shisha after Tanzania and Rwanda.
Other countries with similar restrictions on water-pipe smoking include Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Singapore, Jordan and Pakistan.
Smuggling as a result of porous borders has been blamed for the continued use despite the ban.
“We need to bring other partners such as the civil society and whisleblowers. It is a journey but we will get there,” Muthemba said.
The Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance wants the government to impose a 70 per cent tax on tobacco products as per the WHO recommendation.
Shisha smoking has been linked to lung and oral cancers, heart disease and other serious illnesses.
