By Tehelka Web Desk
Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a steady decline in smoking over the past two decades, with the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) showing the lowest tobacco-use prevalence ever recorded in the Union Territory.
According to the survey, conducted during 2023-24 and released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare last week, tobacco use among men aged 15 years and above declined from 38.5 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) to 30.1 per cent in NFHS-6. Among women, tobacco use dropped from 3.6 per cent to 3.1 per cent during the same period.
The latest figures place J&K below the national average for male tobacco use for the first time. The all-India prevalence of smoking and tobacco use among men stands at 36.3 per cent, compared to 30.1 per cent in J&K.
The survey also found a decline in alcohol consumption among men, which fell from 8.7 per cent in NFHS-5 to 7.3 per cent in NFHS-6. The national average for alcohol consumption among men is 19 per cent.
Data from the past two decades indicate a significant reduction in tobacco and alcohol use across the region. Smoking prevalence among men has fallen from 52.7 per cent in NFHS-3 (2005-06) to about 30 per cent in NFHS-6, representing a decline of nearly 43 per cent. Alcohol consumption among men dropped from 12.5 per cent to 7.3 per cent during the same period, a decrease of around 41 per cent.
The decline marks a notable public health development for J&K, which has historically reported high levels of tobacco consumption and was often ranked among the country’s higher tobacco-using regions.
Health experts have long linked tobacco use to serious illnesses, including lung cancer, cancers of the mouth and throat, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and stroke.
J&K has also recorded some of the highest COPD prevalence rates in the country. Previous population-based studies and Global Burden of Disease analyses have found COPD prevalence in Kashmir to be significantly higher than national estimates. One major study reported prevalence levels of around 16 to 18 per cent among men aged 40 years and above.
Researchers have attributed the high burden of respiratory disease in part to tobacco use.
Public health experts say the decline in tobacco consumption reflected in NFHS-6 could contribute to lowering the incidence of cancers and respiratory illnesses in the coming years. Tobacco use is also known to increase the risk of hypertension, worsen diabetes-related complications and contribute to several other chronic diseases.
However, while tobacco and alcohol use have declined, J&K continues to face growing public health challenges, including rising rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
