A new global study has measured the consequences of smokeless tobacco. Researchers estimate that chewing tobacco caused around 251,000 deaths in 2023, even though its consumption has barely changed in three decades despite major advances in the fight against smoking, according to the study. Independent reports. Published in the LancetAnalysis from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reveals that about 241 million people aged 15 and over used chewing tobacco that year, with no significant decline since 1990 and with consumption increasing in 24 countries.
The habit is concentrated in South Asia, where about one in five men and one in ten women chew; India alone has 105 million users and around 104,000 deaths. Stroke was the leading cause of death and disability, followed by cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus. The United States is the only non-Asian country in the top 10, with 5.9 million dip users. Researchers say chewing tobacco has largely escaped tobacco control campaigns, remains more socially acceptable than smoking for women in some countries and requires targeted policies if these numbers are to change.
Gn Health
