Nearly 75 per cent of the world’s population is now shielded by at least one tobacco control measure, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report unveiled at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin.

The report, titled Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025, applauds global progress in reducing tobacco use but cautions that uneven enforcement especially in countries like Kenya threatens to undo years of hard-won progress.

The report assesses countries’ adoption of the six MPOWER strategies developed by WHO to curb tobacco use: monitoring consumption, protecting people from second-hand smoke, supporting cessation, warning of tobacco’s dangers, enforcing bans on advertising and sponsorship, and increasing taxes on tobacco products.

Since 2007, the number of people covered by at least one of these strategies has surged from 1 billion to over 6.1 billion representing nearly three-quarters of the global population.

Nations such as Brazil, Mauritius, Turkiye, and the Netherlands have fully implemented all six MPOWER measures at best-practice levels. Another seven countries are just one step away from full implementation.

However, the report notes that 40 countries have yet to fully adopt even a single measure, and over 30 still permit cigarette sales without health warnings.

Kenya finds itself in the middle ground. While it has made commendable progress through the Tobacco Control Act (2007), which aligns with WHO’s global tobacco treaty the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control enforcement remains sporadic.

Key milestones include public smoking bans and graphic health warnings on cigarette packaging. But weak oversight, especially at the local level, continues to hinder progress.

National data paints a mixed picture. According to the Kenya Tobacco Control Data, the smoking rate among men aged 15 to 49 dropped from 15.8 per cent in 2014 to 9.3 per cent in 2022.

In contrast, the rate among women crept up slightly from 0.4 per cent to 0.7 per cent. Overall, tobacco use remains predominantly male-dominated.

Cigarettes remain the most widely used product, followed by smokeless tobacco forms such as snuff and kuber particularly prevalent among younger and low-income groups. Urban areas are reporting higher use, and addiction to nicotine products continues to pose a growing public health concern.

Emerging threats are also taking root. A 2022 joint study by the Ministry of Health and WHO flagged the increasing uptake of e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), especially among youth.

In Nairobi, 9.1 per cent of secondary school students admitted to having experimented with e-cigarettes. With limited regulation, these products are easily accessible both online and in shops often sold without age checks or health warnings.

Authorities are also grappling with the re-emergence of flavored tobacco and continued sale of shisha, despite a national ban introduced in 2017. The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has raised the alarm over persistent black-market activity and the urgent need for tighter crackdowns.

Beyond product regulation, the report stresses the role of public education and access to quitting support. Yet, anti-tobacco media campaigns are on the decline globally, with 110 countries including Kenya failing to run any such campaign since 2022. This gap remains critical, especially for reaching youth and rural populations with culturally tailored messages.

On taxation, which WHO cites as one of the most effective deterrents, Kenya still lags behind. WHO recommends that tobacco taxes make up at least 75 per cent of the retail price, yet Kenya’s stands at approximately 53 per cent. Although excise duties have increased, tobacco remains relatively affordable, and illegal trade further weakens tax policy outcomes.

The human toll remains staggering. WHO estimates more than 7 million people die annually from tobacco-related illnesses, with an additional 1.3 million succumbing to second-hand smoke.

While Kenya lacks precise national figures, the Ministry of Health attributes thousands of deaths to smoking-linked diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory conditions.

Despite challenges, there are glimmers of progress. Community health programmes in several counties have begun incorporating tobacco cessation into routine public health outreach. Civil society actors, including the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance, continue to push for stronger enforcement and youth-focused prevention campaigns.

Still, WHO maintains that more must be done. “By uniting science, policy and political will, we can create a world where tobacco no longer claims lives, damages economies or steals futures,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

For Kenya, the path forward is clear: tighten enforcement of existing laws, regulate emerging nicotine products, ramp up cessation support, revise taxation policy to global standards, and revive national awareness campaigns. The framework exists the missing piece is the political will to act.