Nelis starts his day with a cup of coffee…and a cigarette. He's been smoking half his life - a habit he described as unhealthy and addictive.

"It depends on my stress levels. If am stressed I do a pack a day which is like 20 sticks" Says Nelis Vaandrager, smoker

It's easy to smoke in Nairobi in the privacy of your own house but getting your nicotine fix once outside can be quite challenging.

Kenya banned smoking in public years ago. In the city, lighting up is only allowed in designated areas. Smokers have to come and huddle in zones.

“We are not allowed to smoke in the office so I often take a break to come and smoke while I think.”

In Kenya, advertising and promoting the sale of tobacco products carry a hefty fine - and even jail time.

It's an expensive habit - and an unhealthy one - so what options are there for people who want to quit? The Asumbi Treatment Centre is 40 kilometers out of Nairobi. It's one of Kenya's oldest rehabilitation institutions and has a tailor-made program for smokers.

Anthony Kangethe is one of the coordinators at the center,he used to be a smoker, and kicked the habit here at the centre 14 years ago.

“By then I used to smoke two packs in a day, 40 sticks. It was affecting my health, ulcers …” said Anthony Kangethe, Coordinator, Asumbi Treatment Centre

But quitting at the rehabilitation will cost one more than a thousand dollars and three months of seclusion here at the center.

“We do screening and gauge the seriousness” added Anthony Kangethe, Coordinator, Asumbi Treatment Centre

 And the center has some graphic images to show just what smoking does to your health.

Smoking is a global health problem and in Kenya alone over 8 million cigarettes are smoked every year. Nelis has tried to quit before but was not successful, he's giving it another go by starting with one of the easiest option, Nicotine gum readily available at most pharmacies in Nairobi. Nicorettes contain nicotine, so you'll get that fix without the more harmful effects of tar. No prescription's needed…and they cost a couple of dollars only. Certainly, there are more alternative ways to quit as well.

In Nairobi you can get hypnotized or seek Traditional Chinese acupuncture.

“As you grow older you wake up and have morning coughs etc …” said Nelis Vaandrager, smoker

Options for quitting smoking are there but they don't come cheap yet quitting without help is certainly no easy task.