The Truth About Tobacco

Updated on: 7 February 2024 6:07 pm

India is the world's second largest producer of tobacco (world share 9.6%) next only to China (39.6%).
In 1980, 40% of adult Indian men and 3% of women were smokers. By 1999, male smokers had come down to 29% and women to 2.5%.
Mizos are India's heaviest smokers (59.4% of men and 22% of women) followed by Meghalaya (55% of men, 6.7% of women). In Manipur, 12% of women smoke. Around 40% of men in Haryana and Kashmir smoke.
Punjab and Maharashtra men smoke the least (14% and 13.3%, respectively)
The prevalence of tobacco use among 13-15 year old school-going children in India was 17.5% between 2000-2004.
Only 15% of tobacco grown in India is used for cigarettes. But cigarette smokers pay 85% of the total excise generated from tobacco—Rs 5,181 crore out of Rs 6,031 crore.
Excise taxes from tobacco products contribute 3.3% of total tax revenues in India.
The healthcare costs of three major tobacco-related diseases in India (cancer, coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive lung disease) are estimated to be Rs 30,800 crore a year.
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the world today. According to WHO it kills over 8,00,000 Indians every year. The Indian Medical Association puts this figure at one million—more than all the deaths caused by AIDS, road mishaps, alcohol and drug abuse put together.