Socioeconomic and cultural impact of tobacco in India

Tobacco consumed either in the form of smoke or smokeless is hazardous to the human body. Death toll due to tobacco globally, has risen to about 6.4 million annually, and is on a constant increase. Since long, tobacco consumption has been attributed to a variety of factors including geographical variation, cultural factors and other associated variables. Earlier tobacco was considered as a taboo, but with advent of 21(st) century and commercialization of tobacco it has been prevalent among males and females. Global adult tobacco survey (GATS) in India 2016-17 revealed that there has been drop of 34.1% tobacco consumers in India, mainly due to the increasing awareness and anti-tobacco campaigns and tobacco hazards warning on the packs. Analysing the changes in trends by healthcare professionals can prove to be a valuable tool in devising strategies to control and limit the morbidity and mortality caused due to tobacco consumption.