Deaths due to passive smoking in India up 50% compared to 1990: Lancet study

Posted on September 8, 2026
By Business News Today
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In brief

A comprehensive Lancet study reveals a concerning public health crisis in India, where mortality linked to second-hand smoke exposure has surged by 50% since 1990, contrasting sharply with the nation's overall health improvements. The research highlights that passive smoking disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, particularly children, who bear over 12% of the global disease burden from this preventable exposure. Despite advances in mortality reduction across other health sectors, inadequate tobacco regulation continues to claim preventable lives, demanding urgent implementation of comprehensive tobacco control policies and awareness campaigns.

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Deaths due to passive smoking in India up 50% compared to 1990: Lancet study

Deaths from second-hand smoke in India rose nearly fifty percent by 2023. This occurred even as overall death rates improved by about thirty percent. The population exposed to passive smoke also increased significantly over these years. Children accounted for over twelve percent of the global health burden from this exposure. Effective tobacco control measures are needed to reduce these avoidable deaths.