Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 19: Around one in four Indians aged 15 and above reported smoking or consuming tobacco in some form as of 2021, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019-21. However, tobacco consumption varies significantly across age groups, with older adults considerably more likely to use tobacco than younger people.

More than one in three Indians in their 40s and 50s consume tobacco, compared with roughly half that proportion among people in their 20s, reflecting a clear generational divide in tobacco use.

The difference is particularly pronounced among men. More than half of Indian men in their 30s and 40s consume tobacco, while the proportion among men in their 20s stands at just over a quarter.

Tobacco consumption is considerably less common among women, with around four per cent reporting the use of tobacco in some form. However, prevalence also rises with age among women, reaching approximately 17 per cent among those aged 50 and above.

Tobacco is consumed in various forms, with paan masala or gutkha being the most common, followed by cigarettes, khaini and bidis.

Across age groups, smokeless tobacco products such as gutkha, paan masala and khaini are more widely consumed than smoked tobacco. Around two-thirds of tobacco users consume these products, while approximately half smoke bidis or cigarettes.

Regardless of the form of consumption, tobacco poses serious health risks and remains a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases, including cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses.

The generational divide in tobacco use is not limited to India. A similar pattern is observed globally, with younger people in most countries less likely to consume tobacco than their older counterparts.