The usage of tobacco is much higher in India's central and eastern states
The usage of tobacco varies by region in India and is highest in its eastern states and lowest in the southern states and in Punjab.
Almost four in ten men aged 15-49 use tobacco in some form, according to the National Family Health Survey (2019-21). Given that fewer than one in ten women use tobacco, we look at data for men to understand regional patterns in tobacco consumption.
Tobacco use is highest in India's north-eastern states, where more than half the male population uses tobacco or tobacco products. Several eastern states, including Odisha and Bihar, also report very high tobacco use among men at over 50%, followed by Jharkhand and West Bengal.
In contrast, many states in the south, as well as Punjab, have much lower levels of tobacco consumption.
The type of tobacco consumed also varies widely across states. In western and central India, most men who use tobacco consume chewing products such as gutkha, paan masala and khaini. In the southern and northern states, where overall tobacco use is lower, smoking bidis or cigarettes is more common among those who do consume tobacco. In the north-eastern states, patterns differ by state, with chewing tobacco more common in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, while smoking is more prevalent in Meghalaya and Mizoram.
All forms of tobacco have serious health consequences and are a major risk factor for serious non-communicable diseases, like cancers, heart disease and respiratory illnesses.
Read more about the rise of non-communicable diseases in India.
