With 34.6 per cent of adults as tobacco users in India, it has become world’s second largest tobacco consuming nation. “Around 274.9 million Indians use tobacco everyday”, says the Global Adult Tobacco Survey.
The survey also brings in some eye opening facts like; more than 15 per cent of children between the age group of 15-18 are tobacco users.
- Current tobacco use in any form: 34.6% of adults; 47.9% of males and 20.3% of females
- Current tobacco smokers: 14.0% of adults: 24.3% of males and 2.9% of females
- Current cigarette smokers: 5.7% of adults: 10.3% of males and 0.8% of females.
- Current bidi smokers: 9.2% of adults: 16.0% of males and 1.9% of females.
- Current users of smokeless tobacco: 25.9% of adults: 32.9% of males and 18.4% of females.
- Among daily tobacco users, 60.2% consume tobacco within half an hour of waking up
- Average age at initiation of tobacco use was 17.8 with 25.8% of females starting tobacco use before the age of 15
- Among minors (age 15-17), 9.6% consume tobacco in some form and most of them are able to purchase tobacco products.
- Five in ten current smokers (46.6%) and users of smokeless tobacco (45.2%) planned to quit or at lease thought of quitting
- Among smokers and users of smokeless tobacco who visited a health care provider, 46.3% of smokers and 26.7% of users of smokeless tobacco were advised to quit by a health care provider
- 52.3% people were exposed to second-hand smoke at home and 29.0% at public places (mainly in public transport and restaurants)
- About two in three adults (64.5%) noticed advertisement or promotion of tobacco products.
- Three in five current tobacco users (61.1%) noticed the health warning on tobacco packages and one in three current tobacco users (31.5%) thought of quitting tobacco because of the warning label.
