Deaths in India due to second hand smoke increased nearly 50% in 2023, compared to 1990, even as death rates improved by about 30%, according to a global analysis published in The Lancet Public Health journal. The estimates also suggest that while the population exposed to second hand smoke increase…
Deaths in India due to second hand smoke increased nearly 50% in 2023, compared to 1990, even as death rates improved by about 30%, according to a global analysis published in The Lancet Public Health journal. The estimates also suggest that while the population exposed to second hand smoke increased from 375 million in 1990 to 444 million in 2026 -- up by 18.4% -- age-standardised prevalence dropped from 43.2 per cent in 1990 to 30.6 per cent in 2023 in India. In India, absolute deaths in 1990 due to passive smoking were 2,17,700, while those in 2023 were 3,25,600 -- death rates or deaths per hundred thousand population, however, fell from 46.1 in 1990 to 30 in 2023, down by 35%, 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," 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% 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 passage does not contain any article text related to the headline. It appears to be a quote from a pulmonologist, but it does not mention India or the Lancet study.
