TOBACCO CONTROL BOARD
THE TOBACCO PROBLEM
By: DR. SOMBA KIVUNGU
Adverse effects of tobacco
• Human Health
• Environmental
• Economic
• Social
Human Health
Effects
( Smoker’s body)
Tobacco affects all parts
of the body Tobacco
kills and maims. The
three Ds of Tobacco
1. Disability
2. Disease
3. Death
Tobacco is the
leading cause of
premature and
preventable deaths
Other effects of TOBACCO
• Environmental
• Social
• Economic
TOBACCO PLANT
INTRODUCTION
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Grown in the Americas as early as 3500 BC
Man is the only known consumer
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Introduced into East Africa in 1560 by The Portuguese and Spanish
traders
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Cultivated in Kenya since 1907
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Globally, 5.3 million hectares of arable land are under tobacco
cultivation: China 2.9 million hectares [40per cent ] Brazil 8 percent
India 7 and USA 4 In Africa Zambia Mozambique and Malawi 0.2
million hectares
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Kenya tobacco is grown by about 20,000 small scale farmers on
about 15,000 hectares of land S Nyanza [Counties Migori Homa bay]
Western Bungoma and Busia] Eastern [Meru Embu and Kirinyaga ]
Nicotiana Tabacum
Plantation
Flowering
WHO statement on Tobacco
and Environment
• In a conference in 1995 Bellagio Italy–on
tobacco and sustainable development
concluded that in the developing world LMICs
‘Tobacco poses a major challenge not just to
health but also to environmental
sustainability’ wood that is used to cure and
construct curing barns and kilns was
estimated 200,000ha cleared
Tobacco Plant Kenya
• Grown on contractual basis by Tobacco industrial players
led by BAT, Mastermind ,Japan Tobacco and Philip Morris
• The industrial players provide all inputs, technical,
determine the price and quality of the product
• Is it not a cash crop?
• It represents 0.6% of total agricultural gross marketed
production [ Republic of Kenya 2015] -0.03% of GDP
• Grown as a family business
• Takes a fairly fertile land which other beneficial crops could
be grown
• Labor intensive employing minors
• No intercropping
Environment Harm
[1]Tobacco
• Tobacco plant is very sensitive uses-12-15 different toxic pesticides
• Known to be carcinogens environmental hammers potential
poisons
• In a study 26%of tobacco workers showed pesticide poisoning
• Led to systemic symptoms including diarrhea ,vomiting, depression
and immune system
• Miscarriage, organ damage liver, renal and respiratory system
• Green tobacco sickness-nicotine dermal absorption poisoning –
tobacco leaves during harvesting-resembles organophosphate
• Global ecosystem disruption –soil erosion decrease in soil value
water pollution
Environment Harm [2]
• Depletes soil of nutrients [Nitrogen. Phosphorus]-difficult to grow
other crops
• Hard wood is used for curing Tobacco leaves –deforestation
• Deforestation results in climate change
• Deforestation-one tree felled provides cigarette package paper for
300 cigarettes. In 2002- 5.5trillion cigarettes produced how many
trees?
• Littering of cigarette butts –cellulose not biodegradables toxic to
aquatic life
• Tobacco farming leads to vegetation loss clearing of huge land
• In Malawi Tobacco farming as led to 20% deforestation
Environment Harm [3]
• Fires –cigarette smoking is 1st -2nd cause of fire related
deaths /burns affecting young and old
• Wild fires-discarded cigarette caused wild fire in
Canada which destroyed 26,000ha 70 homes and 9
business in 2003, and killed many people , USA 2002
discarded cigarette butts caused wild fire burnt 673ha
• Cigarette butts, packages, chewing and spitting are a
public health hazards
• Air pollution-leading to second hand smoke and the
inherent dangers
Environmental Effects
Deforestation
Fire outbreaks (curing , Butts)
Economic Cost of Tobacco [1]
• Tobacco smoking causes 10% of all fires deaths cost US
$27billion
• In 2000 fires caused by tobacco smoking caused deaths
estimated at 300,000
• It has net–ve economic effect 5/=tax spent ksh 15/= to
mop up its health effect
• It exacerbates poverty and illiteracy by taking 14 %of family
budget at average of 9-10 sticks/day [Euromotor, 2014]
• Leads to malnutrition, world hunger and food insecurity by
diverting prime land to tobacco farming
• Increase in health cost ill health, sudden deaths, oop
• Tobacco pesticides poisonous to other plants – barren land
pollution of rivers and oceans destroying marine life
Economic cost [2]
• Estimated that 1,000,000 fires started by cigarette lighters or
burning butts
• Cost of fires caused by smoking US 27billion
• Cost of DALY’s at the workplace US 47 billion
• Deaths caused by cigarette fires estimated at 300,000
• High public health costs treating tobacco related diseases
• Tobacco kills people at the height of productivity –depriving families
of breadwinner
• WHO report on 6/3/17 in Geneva identified tobacco smoke as one
of environmental pollutants leading to the deaths of 1.7 million
under five children
Social effects
• Appearance –yellowish teeth missing teeth
bad breath face wrinkles yellow skin
• Poor appetite , coughs,illhealth
• Smokers body
Environmental degradation
Socio-economic impact
Child labour; Exposure to
nicotine (green leaf disease);
infant
Vegetation for curing( ? No
more wood), Poverty,
Emotions
Farmers problems
A tobacco farmer’s house
Tobacco Family business
Child Labour in Tobacco Farming
Tobacco Farming in Kenya
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Misery , Hopelessness
Poverty
Suffering
Exploitation
Child Labor
Modern day Slavery
Cry for help
www.businessdailyafrica.com/corporate/kenya
Article by mwangi muiruri April13th 2017
Environment control
call to action
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Encourage and support farmers to engage economically viable alternatives –
Article 17 FCTC and TCA Article 13[1,2],eg bamboo,cotton,sunflower, cassava
Application of –Article 18 FCTC protection of environment which Kenya ratified
Apply public health act
Enforcement of Tobacco control act and regulations
Introduce a fine for tobacco littering
Call for better terms of engagement with Tobacco Industry PPE
Tobacco county legislation to protect the farmers
Education
FCTC ….adopt ‘MPOWER’ Strategy
In San Francisco -20 cents levy @pack of cigarette for clean up
Montreal Canada public cleanliness by laws have imposed a fine of $169 for butt
littering
Ontario are reviewing to make tossing of cigarette butts from a car window fine of
between $ 1000-$2000
In USA charge of 2 cents for butt dumping and smoking ban in beaches