The Kenya Tobacco and Nicotine Tax Coalition has urged the National Treasury of Kenya to introduce stronger taxation on tobacco and emerging nicotine products, warning that low prices and easy availability are driving increased use among children and young people.
Speaking during a presentation to Treasury officials, the coalition said tobacco use continues to impose a heavy burden on Kenya’s health system and economy.
About 12,000 deaths occur annually from tobacco-related illnesses in the country, while healthcare costs and productivity losses linked to smoking continue to rise, the coalition said.
Public health advocates also raised concern over the rapid growth of emerging nicotine products such as electronic cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches. According to the coalition, the products are becoming increasingly affordable, allowing school-going children to purchase them using pocket money.
Coalition representatives also warned of widespread non-compliance with tobacco control regulations. Nicotine products are reportedly being openly displayed in retail outlets and promoted through online platforms, increasing their visibility and accessibility to young consumers.
Some importers have reported strong commercial performance and high shareholder returns, reflecting growing demand for the products.
Health advocates caution that the trend could fuel early nicotine addiction and lifelong tobacco use, undermining years of progress in tobacco control and disease prevention.
The coalition cited a recent case involving a student at Moi High School Kabarak who was allegedly found in possession of a vaping device as evidence that emerging nicotine products are already reaching school environments. The case, they said, highlights gaps in prevention, enforcement and policy response.
Global evidence supports stronger fiscal action. The World Health Organization identifies higher tobacco taxation as the single most effective measure for reducing tobacco consumption, preventing youth initiation and generating sustainable government revenue.
Countries that have implemented robust tax policies have recorded significant declines in tobacco use, the agency says.
In Kenya, most emerging nicotine products are imported, making taxation a particularly effective tool for influencing both supply and demand.
Increasing excise taxes would raise retail prices, reduce affordability and discourage expansion of the nicotine market while supporting domestic revenue mobilization, the coalition said.
The group also pointed to Kenya’s constitutional obligation to protect children from exposure to harmful substances, arguing that keeping tobacco and nicotine products cheap and widely accessible contradicts the principle that the best interests of the child must come first.
Based on simulation modeling using tobacco tax policy tools, the coalition recommended that Treasury introduce substantial excise tax increases on cigarettes and emerging nicotine products. The proposal targets a tax share of at least 70% of the retail price, in line with global best practice.
The coalition also proposed a progressive multiyear tax escalation framework to sustain reductions in affordability, harmonized taxation across nicotine products to prevent substitution and dual use, stronger enforcement against illegal product display and online sales, and increased funding for tobacco control programs.
Addressing concerns that higher taxes could reduce government revenue, the coalition said global experience suggests the opposite.
Because demand for tobacco products is relatively price inelastic, significant tax increases often lead to higher excise collections even as consumption declines.
Countries such as Botswana and The Gambia, where tobacco taxes account for between 70 percent and 80 percent of retail prices, have demonstrated that stronger taxation can improve both public health outcomes and fiscal performance, the coalition said.
