Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023-24: Tobacco Consumption Insights
The HCES 2023-24 reveals a significant rise in tobacco consumption in India, particularly among poorer households, with serious implications for health outcomes and public health policies.
Tobacco Consumption Trends
- Rural India:
- Per capita spending on tobacco increased by 58% between 2011-12 and 2023-24.
- Households consuming tobacco rose from 9.9 crore (59.3%) to 13.3 crore (68.6%).
- The surge is mainly due to increased usage of gutkha and leaf tobacco.
- Rural gutkha use skyrocketed from 5.3% to 30.4% of households.
- Urban India:
- Per capita spending on tobacco rose by 77% in the same period.
- Households consuming tobacco increased from 2.8 crore (34.9%) to 4.7 crore (45.6%).
- Cigarette consumption increased sharply, with 18.1% of households consuming them.
- Gutkha usage also penetrated urban markets, with 16.8% of households consuming it.
Geographical and Demographic Patterns
- Gutkha consumption is predominant in the central belt of India (e.g., Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh).
- Higher prevalence of gutkha usage in the Northeast and southern states.
- Poorer households are disproportionately affected, with over 70% of rural households in the bottom 40% income distribution consuming tobacco.
Health and Economic Implications
- Tobacco is a leading cause of non-communicable diseases, contributing to 13 lakh deaths annually according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- Expanding public healthcare (e.g., Ayushman Bharat) is at risk due to rising tobacco-related health costs.
- Government health expenditure increased from 29% to 48% of total health spending from FY2015 to FY2022.
Policy Recommendations and Challenges
- Increasing duties on tobacco products alone is insufficient; more stringent regulatory oversight is necessary.
- Surrogate advertising by celebrities needs to be curtailed.
- Household budgets show that poorer rural households spend more on tobacco than on education, which poses a challenge to human capital development.
The data from HCES 2023-24 serves as a critical alarm for policymakers to address the rising tobacco consumption and its implications on health and fiscal sustainability.
