Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 10:19:25 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Smoking Deaths Rocket in India

Posted Feb 14, 08 11:05 AM CST in Science & Health,  World 

(Newser) – Tobacco use is the smoking gun in 900,000 deaths annually in India, and the numbers are on the rise as the nation grapples with its epidemic-scale cigarette addiction, reports the BBC. At least 1 million Indians will die annually from smoking-related illnesses in the next decade unless the nation takes action soon, warns a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

With roughly 120 million Indian smokers, cigarettes and hand-rolled bidi will soon account  for 20% of all male deaths and 5% of all female deaths between the ages of 30 and 69. "I am alarmed by the results of this study," said India's health minister. He announced an effort to control the problem, "in particular by informing the many poor and illiterate of smoke risks."

Source BBC

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Fewer Than 20% of US Adults Smoke, a First

    Nov 13, 08 2:10 PM CST
    Fewer Than 20% of US Adults Smoke, a First Smoking in the US is at its lowest since cigarettes became widespread after World War I, Reuters reports, with fewer than 20% of adults in the country lighting up—the lowest figure on record. Observers credit the gradual decline to awareness, bans on smoking in public places, and prohibitive taxation. Still, smoking is estimated to kill 443,000 people a year. More »

  • India Readies Smoking Ban; Unruly Public Shrugs

    Sep 30, 08 5:45 PM CDT
    India Readies Smoking Ban; Unruly Public Shrugs India is about to institute a ban on smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants, hotels and hospitals, the Wall Street Journal reports. The ban, which begins Thursday, is being greeted warmly by health officials, with skepticism by smokers on the ground. “Such rules are made and broken every day," one said. “The ban will have no effect on me.” More »

  • Menthol Used to 'Hook' Young Smokers: Study

    Jul 17, 08 2:41 AM CDT
    Menthol Used to 'Hook' Young Smokers: Study Tobacco companies use menthol to make the taste of cigarettes more acceptable to young first-time smokers until they become addicted, a new study charges. Researchers found that 44% of child smokers used menthol cigarettes, reports Reuters. "Menthol stimulates the cooling receptors in the lungs," said an expert from the Harvard School of Public Health who studied the marketing of menthol cigarettes. "Menthol helps the nicotine go down. It makes smoking easier."


    More »

  • Percentage of Teen Smokers Holds Steady at 20%

    Jun 28, 08 10:04 PM CDT
    Percentage of Teen Smokers Holds Steady at 20% The number of teens who smoke has stopped declining, and anti-smoking activists worry that complacency is setting in, the Washington Post reports. The latest survey shows that 20% of kids between the ages of 13 and 17 light up, a figure that has generally held steady since 2003. It remains a marked improvement from the figure of 36.4% n 1997, but the leveling off has health officials worried. More »

  • Quit Sooner, Live Longer

    May 7, 08 2:59 PM CDT
    Quit Sooner, Live Longer Smokers who kick the habit see their risk of dying drop drastically after 5 years, and their risk level nears that of nonsmokers within 20 years, new research finds. In a study that followed 100,000 women over 3 decades, researchers recorded a 13% drop in death from all causes for ex-smokers 5 years after their last puffs, WebMD reports. More »

A laborer smokes in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. India is in the grips of a smoking epidemic that is likely to cause nearly a million deaths a year by 2010, more than half of them among...   (Associated Press)
An Indian worker smokes a bidi, a small, cheaply made cigarette in Bangalore, India, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. India is in the grips of a smoking epidemic that is likely to cause nearly a million deaths...   (Associated Press)
A Hubble bubble or Hukka made out of thermo flask is seen outside a local hospital in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. India is in the grips of a smoking epidemic that is likely to cause nearly...   (Associated Press)
A man smokes a cigarette at a cafeteria in Bangalore, India, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. India is in the grips of a smoking epidemic that is likely to cause nearly a million deaths a year by 2010, more...   (Associated Press)
Pavement dwellers smoke bidis, small, cheaply made cigarettes in Vadodara, India, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. India is in the grips of a smoking epidemic that is likely to cause nearly a million deaths...   (Associated Press)
An Indian worker lights a bidi, a small, cheaply made cigarette in Vadodara, India, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. India is in the grips of a smoking epidemic that is likely to cause nearly a million deaths...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

India • public health • smoking • cigarettes • tobacco • smoking cessation


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »