‘Tobacco Kills’, ‘Smoking and Drinking are injurious to health’ are some of the phrases that we have grown accustomed to. Government and health agencies have tried their best to spread the negative and morbid side-effects of these substances.
With increasing literacy, one would assume that the sale of such things would decline. But, a recent study broke the bubble that many of us chose to live in. According to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23, consumption of paan, tobacco and other intoxicants have increased among Indians. While at the same time, expenditure on education has seen a decline.
The expenditure was at 3.21% in 2011-12 and has gone up to 3.79% in 2022-23.
The question arises ‘why’? Do Indians not know the side-effects or do they choose to ignore? The answer lies within the ignorance of health. From eating habits to intake of intoxicating substances, Indians are choosing to ignore the impact on health.
The culture of living your life to the fullest and as it suits best (more often how ‘the West’ projects it) has been a major driving force behind that. Even the consumption of alcohol has gone up with Indians preferring hard liquors over the milder ones.
How will the government tackle this situation? Increasing taxes only leads to more collection of taxes because those who want to will buy it at any price. So it is going to be a tough task to prevent morbidity and mortality from consumption of such substances.
