The Biz Reporter
Srinagar, June 1: In a concerning revelation, official data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) shows an alarmingly high prevalence of tobacco consumption in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the survey, approximately 32 percent of men and 1 percent of women aged 15-49 use some form of tobacco, with cigarettes being the predominant product.
The data, obtained by the Kashmir News Observer (KNO), indicates that among men, the most commonly used tobacco products are cigarettes (27%), bidis (4%), hookah (2%), and cigars or pipes (2%). The use of tobacco is slightly higher in rural areas, with 35% of men and 1.4% of women consuming tobacco, compared to 24% of men and 0.7% of women in urban areas.
Disturbingly, over one-third (35%) of men who smoke cigarettes reported smoking 5 to 9 cigarettes in the past 24 hours, highlighting the extent of tobacco addiction.
The survey also revealed that around 0.2 percent of women in urban areas and 0.5 percent in rural areas use cigarettes, while the figures for men are 21.1 percent in urban areas and 28.7 percent in rural areas. Additionally, 0.1 percent of women and 4 percent of men smoke bidis, 0.1 percent of women and 2.2 percent of men smoke cigars or pipes, and 0.7 percent of women and 2.4 percent of men smoke hookah.
Alarmingly, a separate survey conducted by the Department of Community Medicine at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar around a year ago revealed that approximately 23 percent of school-going adolescents in Srinagar are smokers. The survey found that 29 percent of adolescent boys were ever smokers, and 23 percent were current smokers.
Moreover, more than half (60.8%) of adolescents were exposed to tobacco smoke in public places, highlighting the urgent need for stricter regulations and awareness campaigns.
The survey also shed light on the concerning perceptions surrounding smoking among adolescents, with 19.6 percent believing that boys who smoke cigarettes have more friends, and 31.4 percent thinking that boys who smoke are more attractive.
Despite the majority (94.6%) of surveyed adolescents acknowledging that cigarette smoking is harmful to health, only 18.6 percent discussed the harmful effects with family or friends, indicating a lack of open dialogue and awareness.
An official emphasized the crucial need to address tobacco use among adolescents and enhance awareness of its dangers, given the increasing prevalence and widespread exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
