More smoking cessation clinics can avert deaths

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death not only in Kenya but globally. Smoking raises the risk of developing many persistent health problems, including atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty deposits build up inside arteries, thereby raising the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease. The risk of heart disease in smokers is double that of non-smokers.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the top three causes of death in 2016 globally were, coronary artery disease, stroke and chronic airways disease, all significantly associated with smoking of tobacco.