Man smokes Shisha. [Photo/Standard Media]

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The Kenya Tobacco Control Board launched a crackdown on Shisha dens across the coastal city of Mombasa.

A section of pub owners is said to be main promoters of shisha smoking among patrons in undesignated areas of the town.

Addressing the press in Mombasa Kenya Tobacco Control Board Member Dr Somba Kivunga said the board will liaise with the county governments to crack down on entertainment joints that allow underage patrons to smoke shisha.

Kivunga says that while it is estimated that 600,000out of the two million smokers in the country are based in Mombasa.

“Shisha smoking is also fast becoming popular especially among the youth,” he said.

Khadija Shikely Mombasa County Director of Health noted that respiratory diseases associated with smoking using shisha pipes are on the rise.

The security services have also raised concern that proceeds from these unregulated Shisha dens are financing crime he said.

Shikely added the biggest problem is that smoking starts in schools and that is why they are forming a multi-sectoral team to crackdown on illegal Shisha smoking dens.