Low tobacco taxes light up disease crisis, anti-smoking groups warn

Tobacco use is a major risk factor for both cancer and cardiovascular diseases. [File, Standard]

Anti-tobacco lobby groups in Kenya are calling on the government to increase taxes on tobacco and nicotine products as a key strategy to reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Currently, tobacco products in the country are taxed at 32 per cent, well below the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended rate of 70 per cent.