One in four Hyderabad households smoke cigarettes; gutkha use rises sixfold
HYDERABAD: Tobacco consumption in Hyderabad has risen sharply over the past decade, with cigarette use nearly doubling and gutkha consumption increasing sixfold, according to a government survey analysed in a working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).
Data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023-24 show that nearly one in four households in urban Telangana — dominated by Hyderabad — now consume cigarettes. The share rose from 14.52% in 2011-12 to 25.16% in 2023-24, signalling a significant rise in smoking in the city.
Overall, about one in three households in Hyderabad now consume some form of tobacco, up from fewer than one in four a decade earlier. The findings were highlighted in the EAC-PM working paper analysing the latest consumption survey, as reported by NM.
Cigarette consumption nearly doubles in a decade
The data indicate that cigarette consumption has increased sharply alongside Hyderabad’s rapid economic expansion.
In 2011-12, fewer than one in seven urban households in Telangana reported cigarette consumption. By 2023-24, the figure had risen to more than one in four households.
The working paper notes that cigarette use tends to increase with income levels. Higher-income households account for a larger share of cigarette consumption compared with poorer groups. The authors described cigarettes as an “aspirational product”, linking the trend to rising incomes and urban growth, as reported by NM.
Gutkha use rises sixfold in urban areas
The survey also flagged a steep rise in gutkha consumption in urban Telangana.
In 2011-12, only 1.33% of urban households reported using gutkha. By 2023-24, the figure had climbed to 7.46%, a nearly sixfold increase.
This means roughly one in 13 households now consume gutkha in the region. The report warns that smokeless tobacco products such as gutkha are associated with serious health risks, including oral, oesophageal and pancreatic cancers.
The paper also pointed to widespread advertising and indirect promotions for gutkha products. “Gutkha advertisement goes unabated, and big Bollywood stars promote gutkha under the fig leaf of ‘silver coated cardamom’. Cricket is the most widely watched sports event in India, and gutkha products dominate in the ad breaks,” the report said, as reported by NM.
Decline in bidi use offers limited relief
One positive trend identified in the survey is the decline in bidi consumption in urban Telangana.
Bidi use fell from 4.87% of households in 2011-12 to 3.13% in 2023-24. However, the report noted that this decline does not reflect reduced tobacco consumption overall.
Instead, consumers appear to be shifting from bidis to cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products such as gutkha.
The working paper added that bidi smoking can also be highly harmful because it leads to deeper inhalation and frequent puffs compared with cigarettes.
Poor households face higher economic burden
The study highlights that tobacco consumption is concentrated among poorer households.
Nationally, more than half of urban households in the bottom 40% income group consume tobacco, compared with less than 37% among the top 20%.
The paper also notes that poorer families spend a larger share of their monthly expenditure on tobacco. According to the analysis, bottom-40 households spend about 4% of their monthly per capita expenditure on pan, tobacco and intoxicants, compared with about 2.5% on education.
The report warned that rising tobacco consumption could undermine public health efforts as the government expands publicly funded healthcare.
For every ₹100 earned in tobacco excise taxes, the report estimates that ₹816 of economic costs are imposed on society through healthcare spending and productivity losses, as reported by NM.
Kerala cited as model for tobacco control
The working paper cites Kerala as the only state where tobacco consumption has declined across both rural and urban areas.
Bidi, cigarette and leaf tobacco consumption have all fallen in the state, while gutkha use remains extremely low.
The authors argue that stronger policy measures and sustained public awareness campaigns could help curb rising tobacco use in other states.
“India’s progress toward universal health coverage will be incomplete if preventable risk factors continue to expand unchecked,” the paper said. “Curbing tobacco consumption is therefore central to safeguarding both population health and the long-term sustainability of public finance.”
