people take up tobacco consumption every day as per health cost study conducted by the indian council of medical research icmr the cost of treatment of just three diseases caused by tobacco cancer lung disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accounted for roughly 25 of all public spending on health in india annually 10 lakh deaths are attributed to tobacco alone it is estimated that by 2020 tobacco use will account for 13 of all deaths in india every year almost 35 adults 15 years and above consume tobacco in india 47 men and 21 women experts say taxes on tobacco products in india fall well below the rate recommended by the world bank from 65 to 80 of retail price taxes on bidis are low averaging only 9 of retail price while cigarette taxes account for approximately 38 of the retail price over 120 million indians smoke and 10 of the worlds tobacco smokers live in india almost a third of indians 57 of all men and 11 of all women consume some form of tobacco and many use more than one type of tobacco product bidis are the most popular tobacco product used in india bidis account for nearly 85 of total smoked tobacco in india cigarettes comprise less than 15 of all smoked tobacco but contribute nearly 85 of tobacco taxes