Kenya stands a better chance of reducing the number of adult smokers by over 2.5 million, which is more than the entire population of Kiambu County, by adopting a set of new clinical treatment guidelines for tobacco cessation prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), experts have said.

They include behavioural support delivered by healthcare providers, digital cessation interventions, and pharmacological treatments in the first guideline on tobacco cessation.

“This guideline marks a crucial milestone in our global battle against these dangerous products,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“It empowers countries with the essential tools to effectively support individuals in quitting tobacco and alleviate the global burden of tobacco-related diseases,” he added.

These recently released guidelines challenge the narrative fronted by the tobacco industry, which presents novel tobacco products, such as oral nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, and vapes as safer cessation options, said Celine Awour, CEO of the International Institute for Legislative Affairs while commenting on the guidelines.

Scientific evidence has shown that these new products do not in any way help people to stop smoking and some people who have never smoked traditional cigarettes are initiated into smoking by using these products.

WHO says that more than 750 million people of the 1.25 billion tobacco users wish to quit yet 70 per cent lack access to effective cessation services due to challenges faced by health systems, including resource limitations.

“The recommendations are relevant for all adults seeking to quit various tobacco products, including cigarettes, waterpipes, smokeless tobacco products, cigars, roll-your-own tobacco, and heated tobacco products,” it says.

Among the recommendations that increase quitting success is a combination of pharmacotherapy, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion, and varenicline which helps patients with withdrawal symptoms.

 Pharmacotherapy involves replacing the drug of dependence with a legally prescribed substitute. While behavioural interventions take the form of counselling and encouragement,

Ken Marau, County Coordinator, of the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA)  says the tobacco industry has become cunning and aggressive by producing aesthetically appealing and flavoured nicotine and tobacco products to lure young people.

“The average age of initiation of tobacco usage among the young demographic is 16-20, which is very worrying,” he said.

In a separate report titled Hooking the Next Generation by WHO novel tobacco products are said to generate toxic substances, some of which are known to cause cancer and increase the risk of heart and lung disorders.

“Use of e-cigarettes can also affect brain development, potentially leading to learning and anxiety disorders for young people,” it reads.

He also added that the clever marketing and advertising of products, such as Velo and Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) violates the Tobacco Control Act 2007, which regulates the sale and advertisement of tobacco and related products.

On her part, Zaha Indimuli of Youth In Power Africa(YIPAR) said; “ Youth have become easy prey to the tobacco industry, which sells cigarettes as a cool lifestyle that has put many on the path of addiction.”

She also added that parents need to become more vigilant with children so that they can pick up unusual or alarming behaviours and correct them before they spiral into addictions.

“If you observe a child that locks themselves in their rooms all the time and there is always a pleasant smell coming from there, they are probably smoking something and you need to stop it,” she said.

More than 8,000 Kenyans die of tobacco-related diseases every year according to NACADA.