Quitting tobacco will alleviate financial hardship for 20 million Indian families, a report reveals.

News Topical, Digital Desk : In India, tobacco not only causes life-threatening diseases like cancer, but it's also a major factor pushing millions of families into poverty. According to reports, approximately 10 percent of Indian families could improve their economic situation simply by quitting tobacco.

In fact, researchers from the Noida-based ICMR National Cancer Prevention and Research Centre (ICMR-NICPR) and the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) say that if the money spent on tobacco is invested in education, healthy diet and savings, then about 10 percent of Indian families can rise above the poverty line.

Quitting tobacco will change your destiny

According to a study published in BMJ Global Health, tobacco expenditures constitute a significant portion of Indian household budgets, and this problem is particularly severe in low-income families.

According to research, if a family saves the money they would otherwise spend on bidis, cigarettes, or gutkha and spends it on essential items, their lifestyle will change significantly. If the money spent on tobacco is invested in education and health, it will not only save your health but also revitalize the country's economic health.

How is tobacco pushing people into poverty?

According to research, tobacco not only drains people's pockets, but the extra expenses incurred on the resulting illnesses can also drive families into debt. This means that quitting tobacco will not only save on our daily expenses but also reduce future medical expenses.

Two crore families can rise above poverty

According to an ICMR-NICPR report, India is the second-largest tobacco consumer and producer, with over 267 million tobacco users. The poorest households spend 6.4% of their total monthly income on tobacco. Quitting tobacco alone could lift approximately 20 million families out of poverty.

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