Kenya’s Public Health Principal Secretary, Mary Muthoni, has sounded the alarm on the rising dangers of secondary smoking, urging strict enforcement of tobacco laws around schools, churches and other public spaces.
Speaking during a community health forum in Gacharu village, Kirinyaga County, Muthoni said the Ministry of Health had adopted a “zero tolerance” stance against exposure to tobacco smoke in homes and learning institutions.
She warned parents in particular against smoking near children, noting that passive smoking was often more harmful than direct use. “Parents must not smoke around their children. Secondary smoking causes more harm; it is more dangerous,” she said.
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally each year, of which about 1.3 million die from exposure to second-hand smoke. In Kenya, government data suggests at least 2.5 million adults are tobacco users, exposing millions of non-smokers — including children — to harmful smoke at home and in public.
Muthoni added that public health officers across the country had been trained and equipped to act against offenders. “We have enough public officers who are able, trained and have the requisite information to enforce,” she stressed.
The PS also raised concern over the growing use of illegal tobacco products such as shisha and e-cigarettes among young people. She warned that these products not only posed severe health risks but also carried heavy financial costs.
“It is expensive, it is deadly,” Muthoni said. “One electric cigarette will cost you not less than KSh 3,000. How many youths can afford to get the puffs? They might end up stealing.”
The Ministry of Health has already embarked on a nationwide crackdown on shisha dens and unlicensed outlets selling e-cigarettes.
