Shisha smoking among young women is on the rise especially in Nairobi, a report by Tobacco Control Board has revealed.
The report was released in Nakuru, which leads in the implementation of tobacco control.
Isabella Karanja, a member of the board said that the rise in the smoking culture poses a great threat to the next generation. She noted that women of child bearing age risk complications during child birth and still births.
Shisha, she said is a mixture of addictive drugs, whose one gulp equals ten cigarettes.
“Inside the (shisha) pot there is a mixture of so many drugs among them heroin, cocaine and bhang and therefore one becomes an addict of numerous drugs,” Ms Karanja said.
Cigarettes sold in Africa, she further pointed out contain 25 times more nicotine compared to those sold in the western world.
“High use of tobacco is derailing our country’s development because it is affecting our youth. Dealing with the effects of the substance is very costly to the Ministry of Health,” she said.
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Bar owners who ‘lie to people that the substance is not harmful’ were put on notice by the Health Services Chief Officer, Samuel Mwaura who said that they and the smokers would face the law.
Mr Mwaura noted that it is illegal to sell a single stick of cigarette in Kenya, as is done by kiosk and shop owners.
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