Smoking in India
In India, the current prevalence of smoking among adults aged 15 years and older was estimated to be 9.3% in 2024, reflecting an increase from 8.1% in 2020. The current smoking prevalence among adult males was significantly higher with 16.7% in 2024, compared to 1.4% among adult females. This gender disparity has been consistent, as in 2020, the prevalence among males was 14.4% and 1.40% among females. The total number of smokers in 2024 was approximately 100,2 million individuals, showing an increase from 80,481,112 in 2020. For reference, the adult daily smoking prevalence in 2017 was 8.6%, with a prevalence of 15.2% among males and 1.7% among females. Smoking-related mortality remains a significant health concern in India, with 1,048,266 deaths recorded in 2021. This accounts for 8.92% of all deaths in the country. Of these deaths, 233,679 were recorded among female, representing 4.59% of all female deaths, while 814,587 were male, accounting for 12.23% of all male deaths. These data underscore the ongoing public health challenges posed by tobacco smoking in India, highlighting the necessity for effective public health measures to reduce smoking prevalence and its associated mortalities.
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May 04, 2021 by filtermag.org
Can Tobacco Harm Reduction Work for India’s Poor?
Tobacco use is a poor person’s problem. People with low incomes consume and grow it the most and suffer the gravest consequences from its trade and use. Yet tobacco control policies do not adequately address their needs, merely using them as statistics to highlight the enormity of problems rather than implementing measures to benefit them. Globally, 84 percent of smokers now live in low- and middle-income countries, which are also where around 90 percent of tobacco farming takes place. Even in the West, smoking is more prevalent in economically disadvantaged communities.
April 28, 2021 by sciencetimes.com
No Proof That Smokers, Vegetarians Less Likely to Contract COVID-19
Several media reports recently came out quoting a CSIR survey that has gone viral on social media after it claimed that smokers and vegetarians are less susceptible to COVID-19.
According to an India.com report, ever since the second wave of COVID-19 caused chaos in India, a lot of false rumors and misinformation have appeared online. [...] Amidst the viral news, on Monday, the Press Information Bureau while quoting CSIR made it clear that at present, no conclusion can be drawn yet based on the "serological studies" that smoking and vegetarian diet may shield one from COVID-19. [...]
April 26, 2021 by freepressjournal.in
Smokers, vegetarians less vulnerable to Covid-19 infection: CSIR survey
A recent survey conducted by CSIR (Council of Scientific Industrial Research), Government of India, has revealed that smokers and vegetarians are less likely to contract Covid-19 infection. The survey suggested smoking may be protective, despite Covid-19 being a respiratory disease, due to its role in increasing the mucous production that may be acting as the first line of defence among the smoking population. It indicated that vegetarian food rich in fibre may have a role to play in providing immunity against COVID-19 due to its anti-inflammatory properties by modification of gut microbiota.
March 29, 2021 by regulatorwatch.com
No Shame | Bloomberg’s War on Vaping Pt. 1
In this special series of RegWatch, we explore how Bloomberg uses his power and money to backstop a tangled web of philanthropic organizations who cajole, strong-arm or buy-off governments of low and middle-income countries so that they would implement harsh restrictions, taxes, and even bans on low-risk nicotine products, such as vaping.
February 26, 2021 by indiatoday.in
Jharkhand cabinet approves ban on hookah bars; no sale of tobacco to those below 21
The Jharkhand cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to completely ban hookah bars in the state. As per the decision, those flouting rules may face a prison sentence or a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
The cabinet has also approved a decision to make the sale and purchase of tobacco products like cigarettes at public places illegal. Anyone found breaking the rules will be fined Rs 1,000. [...]
A decision to increase the minimum age for buying tobacco products in the state has also been increased from 18 to 21. It may be noted that those below the age of 21 will not be allowed to purchase any tobacco products.
February 12, 2021 by indiatimes.com
Study warns against misleading claims on herbal smoking
Herbal smoking can ease respiratory symptoms including Covid. Such misleading claims are being used by online marketing websites to sell herbal cigarettes/bidis to the underage. This has been a significant finding of a study from the Oral Health Sciences Centre (OHSC) at the PGI.
Out of the initial 1,044 records retrieved, 73 retail web pages were included in the final analysis which revealed 24 brands, produced by 18 manufacturers offering 189 different flavours in packs of 5 to 20 sticks.
February 09, 2021 by businessinsider.in
No proposal to raise excise duty on cigarettes, 'bidis' and smokeless tobacco, says Centre
The Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that there was no proposal to raise the excise duty on cigarettes, 'bidis' and smokeless tobacco.
In a written reply to a question, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur said that there was no recommendation by the GST Council to raise the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on these tobacco products.
"The GST rates on goods are fixed on the basis of GST Council recommendations. At present, there is no such recommendation. Also, there is no proposal to increase the excise duty on such products," Thakur said.
February 04, 2021 by indicanews.com
e-Cigarettes not as safe as we thought, finds out Indian-origin researchers
New research indicates the chemicals found in e-cigarettes disrupt the gut barrier and trigger inflammation in the body, potentially leading to a variety of health concerns.
Touted by makers as a “healthy” alternative to traditional cigarettes, these e-cigarettes have been all the rage with the younger generation.
However, according to the researchers, including two Indian-origin, chemicals used for vaping break down zipper-like junctions between cells in the gut, leading to chronic inflammation and potential for other health concerns.
January 26, 2021 by filtermag.org
I Switched From Vaping Back to Smoking, Thanks to India’s Government
I remember fumbling with the lighter so much that a friend had to light my first smoke for me. [...] Ten years on, here I am, chain-smoking my way through my morning coffee. I currently get through a pack a day.
In all this time, the only thing that has ever stopped me from lighting up, often for months on end, has been my vape. It led me to believe that I had a chance of beating my addiction, and giving my lungs the best chance of recovery in the process. And then, the Indian government banned vapes, and my dreams of being tobacco-free went up in smoke.
January 11, 2021 by thehindu.com
Licence to be a must for sale of tobacco products in urban areas
The State government has proposed to make it mandatory for shops in urban areas to obtain licences for selling cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The draft bylaws of Karnataka Municipalities (Regulation and inspection of places used for sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products) seek to prohibit sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products without obtaining licenses from the jurisdictional municipal corporations. The provisions of these rules shall apply to all the municipal corporations, including Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).