Why Tobaco firms have shifted to social media to lure youths
Health & Science
By
Mercy Kahenda
| Mar 30, 2026
The tobacco industry has been fingered for aggressively using social media platforms to market tobacco and nicotine products, increasingly targeting adolescents and youth in Kenya.
The tobacco industry has been accused of aggressively using social media platforms to market tobacco and nicotine products, increasingly targeting adolescents and young people in Kenya.
Platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Instagram and Facebook have been identified as key channels where tobacco-related content is widely circulated, often disguised as entertainment, lifestyle content or technological innovation.
A study by the Kenya Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Response (TIMR) team, coordinated by the International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA), reveals that companies are increasingly positioning newer products, such as vapes, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches as “scientific” or “safer” alternatives to traditional cigarettes.
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The report, released over the weekend, warns that this approach forms part of a broader strategy to rebrand the tobacco industry as a solution to the harms historically associated with its products. “This is identified as the industry’s primary modern strategy. It involves heavily promoting new nicotine products as ‘better’, ‘smoke-free’ or ‘science-based’ alternatives,” the study states.
Despite such marketing, tobacco use remains strongly linked to diseases including cancer, tuberculosis, pneumonia, chronic respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular disease.
Data from the Non-Communicable Disease Alliance Kenya shows that at least 60,118 people aged 35 years and above died from tobacco-related illnesses between 2012 and 2022. Of these deaths, 9,943 were attributed to cigarette smoking, with one in five tobacco-related deaths linked directly to smoking.
To appeal to adolescents and young adults, manufacturers are introducing a wide range of flavours, such as vanilla, blueberry and strawberry, creating the impression that these products are less harmful than conventional tobacco.
The study also found that the industry uses coded language, hashtags and subtle imagery to promote products while evading regulation and detection. Promotions are often embedded within lifestyle content, appearing in short videos, reels, music clips and nightlife posts where nicotine use is associated with luxury, creativity, success and stress relief.
Conducted between September and December 2025, the study highlights the growing use of influencers, celebrities and entertainers, particularly those with large youth followings, to normalise nicotine consumption. “This strategy is highly effective because young people tend to trust personalities they follow,” the report notes.
“Posts often emphasise empowering smallholder farmers, supporting sustainable agriculture or promoting gender equality, while positioning the industry as a partner in addressing illicit trade,” the report adds.
IILA Chief Executive Officer Celine Awuor expressed concern over the growing exposure of children and youth to nicotine marketing online.
“At least 86 per cent of participants reported encountering content promoting tobacco and nicotine products online,” she said.
The study found TikTok to be the dominant platform among children and youth, with usage rates of 50 per cent and 71 per cent, respectively, followed closely by Instagram at 71 per cent among young people. X was most popular among men and boys, while women and girls favoured Instagram.
Experts warn that these tactics deliberately present nicotine products as sleek modern technology while masking their addictive nature, underscoring the urgent need for stronger regulation to protect young people from rising nicotine addiction.