Gen Zs turn to chewable tobacco and vapes amidst addiction crisis

E-Cigarrate. (Courtesy)

Collins Mutisya, a third-year university student at a local university, pinches his lower lip and carefully uses his other hand to place tobacco between his lip and lower gum. He smiles sheepishly as he turns to speak.

"I started using Chavez while still in high school. A fellow student introduced me to it and since then, I have been using it. I always told myself that I would stop one day, but it has been more than six years. To be honest, I don't think it is as bad as people claim, though I can't do without. It's just like our parents can't go a day without taking tea, often complaining of headaches or not seeing well," he explains.