Data sourced:
2024.
Page updated:
2025-10-30
In India, the current prevalence of smoking among adults aged 15 years and older was estimated to be 9.3% in 2024, reflecting an increase from 8.1% in 2020. The current smoking prevalence among adult males was significantly higher with 16.7% in 2024, compared to 1.4% among adult females. This gender disparity has been consistent, as in 2020, the prevalence among males was 14.4% and 1.40% among females. The total number of smokers in 2024 was approximately 100,2 million individuals, showing an increase from 80,481,112 in 2020. For reference, the adult daily smoking prevalence in 2017 was 8.6%, with a prevalence of 15.2% among males and 1.7% among females.
Smoking-related mortality remains a significant health concern in India, with 1,048,266 deaths recorded in 2021. This accounts for 8.92% of all deaths in the country. Of these deaths, 233,679 were recorded among female, representing 4.59% of all female deaths, while 814,587 were male, accounting for 12.23% of all male deaths. These data underscore the ongoing public health challenges posed by tobacco smoking in India, highlighting the necessity for effective public health measures to reduce smoking prevalence and its associated mortalities.
Prevalence
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 116.4 million | 1A |
| 2024 | 100.2 million | 1B |
References:
- (1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 11.8% | 1A |
| 2020 | 8.1% | 1B |
| 2022 | 7.1% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 9.3% | 1D |
References:
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1.4% | 1A |
| 2020 | 1.4% | 1B |
| 2022 | 1.1% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 1.4% | 1D |
References:
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 22.2% | 1A |
| 2020 | 14.4% | 1B |
| 2022 | 12.8% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 16.7% | 1D |
References:
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
79.0 million
2
A
8.6%
2
A
1.7%
2
A
15.2%
2
A
References:
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2016/17. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
Comments:
- In India, GATS is a household survey of persons 15 years of age or older conducted in all 30 states of India and two Union Territories.A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 74,037 completed individual interviews.
Smoking-related mortality
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 932,711 | 1A |
| 2021 | 1.0 million | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 231,267 | 1A |
| 2021 | 233,679 | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 701,444 | 1A |
| 2021 | 814,587 | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11.09% | 1A |
| 2021 | 8.92% | 1B B |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5.3% | 1A |
| 2021 | 4.59% | 1B B |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 13% | 1A |
| 2021 | 12.23% | 1B B |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
References:
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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