India, May 29 -- Most of India's smoked tobacco problem is bidis, not cigarettes. Of the 267 million adults who used tobacco in India in 2016-17, 72 million were bidi smokers - just over a quarter of all tobacco users in the country. Bidis are concentrated among older men, rural households, and those with the lowest incomes and least education. The tax rate on bidis is 22% of the retail price, compared to 51% for cigarettes, but both are far short of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation that tobacco taxes constitute at least 75% of the retail price. This differential treatment of bidis has no basis in public health, and is costing the country dearly.

The health consequences of bidi smoking are, if anything, worse than those...