Experts Urge Comprehensive Tobacco Control To Reduce Stroke Burden India

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

Addressing the Tobacco Burden in India

India continues to face a significant burden of stroke and cardiovascular disease, making the prevention of modifiable risk factors a public-health priority. Tobacco use remains a major preventable contributor to this burden. On World Stroke Day, experts are calling for a stronger, more comprehensive approach to tobacco control that moves beyond awareness campaigns to address nicotine dependence, improve access to cessation support and strengthen prevention efforts.

A 2024 analysis of Global Burden of Disease data estimated that tobacco use contributed to 12% of stroke deaths in India, while high systolic blood pressure accounted for 56%. These findings highlight the need to address tobacco use alongside other major risk factors as part of a broader strategy to prevent stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Expert Perspectives on Cessation Support

Dr Yashpal Singh Bundela, Director of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences at Medanta Super Speciality Hospital, Noida, said,“We cannot keep telling people to quit and assume the problem is solved. Nicotine dependence can make quitting difficult, even when people understand the health risks. With the burden of tobacco-related diseases continuing to pose a serious public-health challenge, we need to act now."

"Helping people stop smoking must remain the priority, supported by practical, sustained cessation services and access to clinically established aids such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Change will not be easy, but we must start somewhere. Moving beyond awareness to accessible, evidence-based support is an essential step towards reducing tobacco use and preventing related diseases," he added.

Public Health Challenges

The scale of tobacco use makes this an urgent public-health concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tobacco use accounts for nearly 1.35 million deaths annually in India. The country's tobacco burden extends beyond cigarettes to bidis and smokeless products such as khaini, gutkha and zarda. This diversity calls for prevention and cessation strategies that reflect different patterns of tobacco use and make quitting support accessible to people across communities.

Tobacco control also requires a clear understanding of the health risks associated with tobacco and nicotine. Nicotine is addictive, while the combustion of tobacco releases toxic chemicals associated with serious cardiovascular harm. Addressing tobacco dependence therefore requires a combination of prevention, effective cessation support, public education and continued scientific research to inform public-health decisions.

Learning from International Experiences

International experience can offer useful lessons for strengthening tobacco control. A nationally representative Japanese study published in 2026 found that cigarette use among people aged 15–64 declined from 20.7% in 2017 to 12.3% in 2025, while heated tobacco use increased from 5.3% to 11.7%. Overall tobacco-product use declined more modestly, while dual use increased. These findings describe changing patterns of tobacco use but do not establish that the rise in heated tobacco use caused cigarette smoking to decline or reduced long-term cardiovascular and stroke risks. They underline the importance of examining international experiences carefully and evaluating their public-health implications in the Indian context.

Dr Vikas Mittal, Director, Department of Respiratory Medicine, C K Birla Hospital, Punjabi Bagh, added,“Improving public health requires us to look beyond conventional approaches to tobacco control and learn from the experiences of countries that have made progress in reducing tobacco use."

"India must have an open, evidence-based discussion on whether a complete ban on tobacco or newer, more effective approaches to prevention and cessation could deliver better public-health outcomes. The priority must be to reduce tobacco consumption, prevent young people from starting and make it easier for people who use tobacco to quit. Ultimately, our approach should be guided by one measure: what works best to protect public health and reduce the burden of tobacco-related diseases, including stroke and cardiovascular disease," he added.

On World Stroke Day, reducing stroke and cardiovascular risk requires sustained action on tobacco use alongside other established risk factors, particularly high blood pressure. Strengthening cessation support, preventing tobacco initiation and learning from evidence-based public-health interventions can help India build a more effective response to tobacco-related disease and protect the health of future generations. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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