Dreadful! 53% smokers in India under 30

According to a survey, one in three persons in the age group of 15-50 years is addicted to smoking.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India is home to 12 per cent of world’s tobacco smokers.

But if reports of a latest survey is anything to go by, more than 50 per cent of people who smoke in India are between the ages 20 and 30 years.

The survey 'Understanding Smoking Attitudes in Youth' conducted by Gurgaon-based Aviss Health Foundation has revealed some startling numbers.

According to the survey conducted among 1,400 respondents in Delhi-NCR, one in three people who participated in the survey in the age group of 15-50 years was addicted to smoking.

Fifty three per cent of smokers belonged to the age group of 20 to 30 years. 

Fifty six per cent reported that smoking helped them get relief from stress. Of these, 55 per cent admitted that they were aware of its ill-effects but continued to smoke, anyway.

"The fact that educated youth are take up smoking just to cope with stress, speaks volumes about the lack of focus in outreach programs," pulmonologist Dr Himanshu Garg, who led the survey, said.

"While government policies in India have always been designed carefully around the targeted awareness programmes, the survey figures indicate that it's time to sit up and fine-tune our strategies to address the issue more effectively," said Aviss Foundation head Prerana Garg.