India’s second-hand smoke deaths rise nearly 50pc in 2023: Study
Deaths in India attributed to second-hand smoke rose nearly 50 per cent between 1990 and 2023, even as the death rate fell about 35 per cent. A Lancet Public Health study said 444 million Indians were exposed to passive smoking in 2023
New Delhi: Deaths in India due to second-hand smoke increased by nearly 50 per cent in 2023 compared with 1990, even as the death rate fell by about 30 per cent, according to a global analysis published in The Lancet Public Health.
The estimates also suggest that while the number of people exposed to second-hand smoke increased from 375 million in 1990 to 444 million in 2023 — an increase of 18.4 per cent — age-standardised prevalence fell from 43.2 per cent in 1990 to 30.6 per cent in 2023 in India.
Age-standardised prevalence is a statistical adjustment made to data to allow a fair comparison of prevalence across different age groups.
An international team of researchers, part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 Second-hand Smoke Collaborators, estimated the prevalence of exposure to passive smoking and the disease burden it contributes to across 204 countries and territories.
“In 2023, an estimated 2.71 billion people worldwide were exposed to SHS (second-hand smoke), including 767 million children aged 0-14 years,” the authors wrote.
Globally, exposure prevalence was 33.9 per cent in 2023. China, India and Indonesia accounted for nearly half of the world’s exposed population, with 664 million, 444 million and 142 million people exposed, respectively, in 2023, they found.
However, “age-standardised prevalence was highest in Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania (48.4 per cent), with female individuals in some countries experiencing nearly 1.8 times the exposure prevalence of male individuals,” the team said.
In India, the number of deaths attributed to passive smoking was 2,17,700 in 1990 and 3,25,600 in 2023. The death rate, or deaths per 100,000 population, however, fell from 46.1 in 1990 to 30 in 2023, a decline of about 35 per cent, the findings show.
“The numbers mean that despite a fall in the adjusted rates, the absolute number of people exposed to passive smoking is still increasing. This can have long-lasting effects across multiple organ systems, not just the respiratory system,” Dr Neetu Jain, pulmonologist and senior consultant at Pushpawati Singhania Hospital and Research Institute, New Delhi, told PTI.
“Second-hand smoke exposure is associated with an increased risk of several diseases, including cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. The effects of passive smoking can also be particularly concerning in people with conditions such as coronary artery disease,” she said.
Children were found to account for more than 12 per cent of the world’s health burden from second-hand smoke, with lower respiratory infections causing the greatest burden, according to the study.
“Passive smoking is avoidable if smokers take steps to prevent exposing others to tobacco smoke. Smoking outside the home and away from enclosed spaces can reduce exposure to second-hand smoke, particularly among family members and children. Children are especially vulnerable because their lungs are still developing, and exposure to tobacco smoke can adversely affect their respiratory health,” Dr Jain said.
“The effects tend to be greatest among those who are least aware of what passive smoking is and the health risks associated with it,” the pulmonologist said.
“However, we should encourage smokers to quit and focus on bringing down smoking across the country through effective tobacco-control measures, including higher tobacco prices and taxes,” she said.
