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While Kenya makes Sh6 billion in revenues from tobacco annually, the country spends about Sh18 billion treating health conditions related to smoking.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tobacco and alcohol use are among the major causes of non-communicable diseases, including the deadly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases.
Globally, 14 million people mostly aged between 30 and 70 years die each year from these diseases, which have also caused other health complications. For instance, about 18 per cent of pre-school children in Kenya are obese while 30 per cent of adults are overweight.
This has been compounded by lack of exercise and poor eating habits, including junk food popular among young people.
A recent UN task force report on non-communicable diseases shows 15 per cent of people aged 13-15 years consume some form of tobacco and 25 per cent others are exposed to tobacco smoke.
So what must we do to save our people, especially the youth, from health risks associated with tobacco and alcohol, which remain challenges to Kenyans?
The journey must start with information. We must create awareness of the dangers of consuming alcohol and tobacco while emphasising healthy eating and exercising. The Government must also increase financial allocations to treat non-communicable diseases.
Our hospitals must also be better equipped and medical personnel trained about managing and treating these conditions. The Government must also implement the National School Health Policy to keep our children from tobacco and alcohol.
Those who are already hooked must be rehabilitated.
