Most tobacco consumption in India is of gutkha, not cigarettes
The majority of tobacco use in India is of chewing tobacco products such as paan masala, gutkha, or khaini. Gutkha is pre-mixed paan masala with tobacco. Paan masala is also sold separately and mixed with tobacco later to be consumed.
Since most tobacco consumption in India is by men, we look at the type of tobacco usage by men. About 40% of men aged 15-49 use tobacco in some form, compared to just 5% of women, according to the National Family Health Survey, 2021.
Tobacco use in India as measured by the NFHS includes smoking cigarettes or bidis, as well as chewing tobacco products such as khaini (tobacco leaves mixed with slaked lime), paan masala, gutkha, and other similar preparations. Since respondents may use tobacco in more than one form, the NFHS does not measure consumption of these products as discrete categories.
More than a quarter of men chew tobacco products, while under one in five men smoke bidis or cigarettes. Tobacco usage is higher in rural areas, and the form of usage also differs, with cigarette smoking more prevalent among urban men.
Both forms of tobacco have major health impacts, including life threatening conditions like cancer of the oral cavity, oesophagus and liver, as well as heart diseases and respiratory illnesses.
Read more about the most common diseases in India.
