Global, regional, and national burden of exposure to chewing tobacco, 1990-2023: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023.
A comprehensive global analysis found 241 million people chewing tobacco in 2023, causing 251,000 deaths and 6.48 million years of lost healthy life annually. India accounts for nearly two-thirds of chewing tobacco users worldwide, with stroke and oral cancers being the leading health harms.
Relevance to India: India has 64.3% of all male and 54.8% of all female chewing tobacco users globally, making this a major public health priority for Indian policymakers and health authorities.