INCREASING health risks are posed by the growing consumption of tobacco products, smokeless tobacco inhaled as stuffed leaves or with shared pipes (shisha) trending among young people in Tanzania.

Dr Elichilia Shao, a specialist at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) said the substances are major contributors to a surge in chronic health conditions such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, diabetes and various types of cancer.

The non-communicable diseases specialist noted that tobacco products, including cigarettes, ground leaves or ‘shisha’ cause extensive damage to multiple organs in the body, and the only effective way to avoid these serious health issues is to reduce or completely eliminate the use of tobacco products.

Experts say that ‘shisha’ can be addictive as it contains nicotine, even in tobacco-free blends, while tobacco products touch off lung diseases, heart and vascular ailments, diabetes and several types of cancer, including those affecting the mouth, throat or oesophagus, he stated.

These health conditions can affect individuals across different age groups, with susceptibility often linked to genetic factors, even as the consequences of tobacco use are particularly concerning for young people, who may develop these life-threatening conditions at an earlier age, he asserted.

It is crucial that individuals, especially the youth, avoid these harmful substances to safeguard their health, he emphasised, highlighting that in recent months, there has been a noticeable demographic shift in tobacco consumption in Moshi municipality.

The powdered form of tobacco is traditionally consumed by older individuals but it has seen a significant increase in use among young people, inhaled through the nose or licked, is increasingly popular among the youth, raising concerns among health professionals.

Across the municipality, the sale of crushed tobacco is on the rise, with vendors reporting an overwhelming demand from young customers. Interviews with both users and sellers reveal that young people are now the primary consumers of the sniffing variant, taking up habits of older individuals especially in the nearby Maasai community.

Alex Finias, a popular vendor of the smokeless tobacco at the Moshi main market, confirmed this shift, stating that most of his customers are young people, replacing a few young Maasai in the past to encompass young people from all walks of life at present.

A 20-litre bucket of ground tobacco is sold for 60,000/-, making it an affordable option for many young people. This affordability, combined with its increasing popularity, signals a concerning trend that health experts fear will lead to long-term health challenges.

With this trend confirmed among the youth in Moshi, health professionals are calling for immediate intervention, appealing for more awareness campaigns and stronger regulations on tobacco sales, particularly to minors.

“We need to educate our youth about the severe health risks associated with tobacco use and implement policies that discourage its consumption," the medic emphasised, underlining that “if we fail to act now, we risk a future where non-communicable diseases linked to tobacco use will place a heavy burden on our healthcare system."

The rise in tobacco consumption among young people in Moshi is not an isolated issue—it’s a growing concern across the country, thus experts see the need for a coordinated national effort to curb this trend before it escalates into a public health crisis.