India health experts call for 100% smoke-free public spaces

Health experts are calling for the implementation of 100% smoke-free public spaces in India to combat the high mortality rate associated with passive smoking. According to data cited from a Global Burden of Disease study published in The Lancet Public Health, an estimated 325,600 deaths in India in 2023 were attributable to second-hand smoke exposure.

Dr. V. K. Paul, a former member of NITI Aayog, noted that while the proportion of the Indian population exposed to second-hand smoke has decreased from 43% in 1990 to 31% recently, the absolute number of deaths remains high due to significant population growth. The current annual death toll in India includes approximately 150,000 women and 175,000 men.

The push for stricter regulations was highlighted during a webinar organized by the citizen-led initiative Tobacco Free India. The discussion focused on moving beyond designated smoking areas toward entirely smoke-free public environments to protect non-smokers from involuntary tobacco exposure.