In the heart of Kampala, an 18-year-old university girl is invited by a friend to a house party. While Shisha and e-cigarettes are banned by law, their availability at such young people’s functions is common.
The flavours are varied, with appealing scents ranging from strawberries, apple, and watermelons, you name it. What the young university girl doesn’t know is that behind the “sweet and appealing” flavours lies nicotine, a highly addictive and dangerous substance. Once hooked on these products, it becomes difficult to stop, which can lead to serious health complications.
Tobacco harms nearly every organ of the body, causes over 20 types of cancer, and kills up to half of the users who don’t quit. All she thinks is, this is a cool party. This is the hidden danger our youth face today.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey Country Report, 13,000 people in Uganda die annually due to tobacco. Exposure to secondhand smoke is rampant among children with 19.7% (over 1.7 million) being exposed to tobacco smoke at home and 30% (2.7 million) exposed in enclosed public places. Despite a decline in tobacco use over the years, 6.7% of Ugandans, (1.6 million people) aged 15 and above, still use tobacco products. While this is a reduction from 9.7% in 2014, the country still has a long way to go in protecting its population from tobacco-related diseases, especially children and young people.
Moreover, new and emerging tobacco products are increasing on the Ugandan market, despite being banned by the Tobacco Control Act of 2015 hence the need to strengthen the enforcement of the law.
Unfortunately, these emerging tobacco products target our children through flavoured products, flashy packaging, and aggressive online marketing campaigns. This year’s World No Tobacco Day theme, “Unmasking the Appeal”, exposes the deceptive strategies tobacco and nicotine industries use to hook the next generation.
Uganda took a bold step in 2015 with the enactment of the Tobacco Control Act, one of the strongest laws in Africa. The Act prohibits the import, manufacture, distribution, processing, sale, offer for sale, or bringing into the country of electronic nicotine delivery systems, waterpipe tobacco delivery systems, smokeless or flavoured tobacco products. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) Uganda, over 17% of adolescents aged 13–15 have tried tobacco-related products, particularly flavored or smokeless variants. E-cigarettes, shisha, Kuber, and nicotine pouches are infiltrating our schools, hostels, and communities.
We must be clear: these products are neither harmless nor fashionable. They contain addictive nicotine and toxic chemicals that damage the developing brain, impair memory and learning. Flavours, which are introduced as flavour chemicals or enhancers, encourage experimentation and initiation and sustain use.
Youths are especially vulnerable. WHO research shows that addiction can set in faster during adolescence than adulthood. The tobacco industry knows this and targets them deliberately.
WHO is actively supporting Uganda’s tobacco control efforts. Between 2022 and 2024, among other initiatives, the WHO supported the Ministry of Health in training over 155 enforcers across various regions, including Bugisu, Busoga, Greater Masaka, Bunyoro, and Kigezi. More than 85 public places in selected cities of Jinja, Mbale, Hoima, Masaka and Kabale were inspected for smoke-free compliance. Seven key border points, including Zombo, Gulu/Elegu, Entebbe and Busia were empowered to inspect and seize illicit tobacco products effectively.
We have supported the development of secondary regulations for testing and reporting the contents and emissions of tobacco products. The capacity of some selected laboratories, including Uganda National Bureau of Statistics, Uganda Drug Authority and the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratories, have been built with the latter designated as the government laboratory to test and report the contents and emissions of tobacco products in Uganda.
WHO recognizes the power of peer influence. In 2024, WHO supported the Ministry of Health in training student leaders from six universities, including Makerere, Kyambogo, Nkumba, Islamic University in Uganda, Cavendish, and Kampala International University to become youth tobacco control champions. Their voices are vital in creating a ripple effect in tobacco control education, especially in their universities.
We urge the government to extend such programs to secondary schools, teacher training colleges, and police academies, to support enforcement efforts.
We also call upon parents, schools, the civil society, and the media to be gatekeepers of truth. Let us create content, school clubs, community dialogues, and social media campaigns that celebrate health, not addiction.
Tobacco use is not a lifestyle choice; it’s an addiction by design. One that the industry profits from, while families, the economy, communities, and health systems bear the cost.
WHO reaffirms its commitment to working with all sectors to build a healthier, tobacco-free Uganda. This includes exploring crop substitution strategies for tobacco farmers and supporting stronger community-led awareness campaigns.Let us reaffirm our collective resolve:To unmask the lies,To empower our youth with knowledge,And to build a tobacco-free Uganda where every child can breathe clean air, think clearly, and live healthily.Together, we can end the cycle of addiction and pave the way for a brighter, stronger future for our nation.
