Passive Smoking Deaths in India Rose 50% Since 1990

Deaths in India due to second-hand smoke increased by nearly 50% in 2023 compared to 1990, reaching 325,600 total fatalities, according to a Lancet Public Health study.

The number of people exposed to passive smoking in India rose from 375 million in 1990 to 444 million in 2026, an increase of 18.4%.

While absolute deaths rose, the age-standardized death rate per 100,000 population fell by 35%, dropping from 46.1 in 1990 to 30 in 2023.