By Achola R. Kapiyo, PhD



The environmental and health consequences of tobacco production and consumption are well documented. That tobacco production exposes peasant farmers to some of the worst and intricate game of exploitation on labour, income and other resources is no secret.

Farmers have to mortgage their farms where they could grow subsistence crops, mortgage their time, intellectual prowess and effort to produce the crop for very unreliable returns. On the other hand, the products of this very crop when consumed in various ways have devastating health impacts.

Whether as an addiction or mere regular consumers, smoking as the largest avenue of tobacco consumption is buying into peoples’ lives as both smokers and non smokers. What has not emerged clearly is the extent to which tobacco contributes to global climate change.
Tobacco production and consumption, though appearing to be innocent when it comes to judgement on contribution to global warming or greenhouse gases, it is actually a highest order culprit. Of course the question is, in how many ways does tobacco enhance processes that lead to increase in the temperature of the earth. If we start with smokers and not just focus in what is inhaled, but give a critical look at the volume and content of the smoke arising from the millions of cigarettes and cigars puffed into the atmosphere.

On rough calculation, one stick of cigarette puffed  produces about one cubic metre of concentrated smoke. This smoke has its component parts as carbon, carbon monoxide, tar and carbon dioxide among other very reactive chemicals running into thousands, including nicotine. The danger with tobacco smoking when considered globally is that it is smoked all the time, in different varieties, almost everywhere and in large numbers.

The total amount of smoke generated in their tons cannot be ignored. Cumulatively therefore the total amount of smoke liberated from smokers pushes to the atmosphere a significant volume of carbon related gases forming a large portion of the greenhouse gases.

It is critical that the relationship between tobacco smoke and green house gases enhancing global temperature be established. Apart from global warming the gases emitted from smokers poses a lot of danger to the ozone layer.
Some of the gases produced are capable of breaking down the ozone (oxygen-3) and opening a hole which allow dangerous sun rays to the as carbon dioxide sinks, but currently there is far less

earth surface. Smoke from tobacco smokers has not been noted much because of the carbon dioxide absorption capacity of surrounding vegetation. Equally it has not come out clearly that Smokers’ smoke is more by volume and danger than vehicle exhaust gases.

Vegetation has proven very useful vegetation cover compared to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from different devices, smokers and systems. This imbalance simply means that greenhouse gases that increase the global temperatures are on an upward trend due to reduced absorption capacity.

Tobacco production by itself is clearing continuously several hectares of indigenous forests and wood stock to cure the tobacco. Simply stated, for every number of cigarettes produced, a number of trees go down, hence the double tragedy of too much smoke in the atmosphere with nothing to absorb it, hence the greenhouse effect.

The question is, Is it in order to continue to regard tobacco as rational business? The Tobacco Control Act enacted in Kenya could answer this question somewhat, but what about other Countries of the world who may not have enacted the legislation. Clearly the policy makers and all citizens alike should wake up to the reality that tobacco is pushing this globe to its final end faster.

Researchers and other stakeholders must rise to the occasion and deal decisively with this matter. The low return on effort for producing tobacco and the health impacts have a strong influence on global warming.  

If critically analysed it is clear that the tobacco production and consumption circuit leads to poverty and sick health. In many ways tobacco disables citizens and lowers their capacity to produce and invest.

The limited financial capacity and energy means farmers are not able to plant more trees, instead they continue to decimate what already exists. If people reduced tobacco production and smoking, citizens could be healthier, stronger and wealthier hence they would plan and manage their ecosystem better.

Global warming with its devastating effects in form of droughts, erratic floods and related disease vectors must be tamed from all fronts. Smoke free campaigns are bound to make significant impacts in raising awareness of the people, but it ought to be seen in the context of some long term impacts.

The challenge is how to come up with definitive data, situation analysis and scheme to monitor the various events around tobacco production and consumption and climate change in Africa. Research, Policy and legislative support will be paramount here


The writer is an Associate Director, School of Environment and Earth Sciences,  Maseno University