Rising Threat of Secondhand Smoke in India

Secondhand smoke is emerging as a serious public health concern in India. A study published in The Lancet Public Health found that deaths attributed to exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke increased by nearly 50% in 2023 compared with 1990. India recorded an estimated 325,000 deaths due to secondhand smoke exposure in 2023, compared with around 217,000 in 1990. The figures highlight the serious health risks faced even by people who do not smoke themselves but are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke from others.

The study also reported that India had the world’s second highest number of people exposed to secondhand smoke in 2023, after China. An estimated 444 million people in India were exposed to smoke from cigarettes, bidis, cigars and other tobacco products used by others. Globally, around 2.71 billion people were exposed to secondhand smoke in 2023, including nearly 767 million children. Such exposure can occur not only at home but also in workplaces, restaurants, public spaces and other areas where people smoke.