India, May 28 -- India is home to more than 260 million tobacco users, making it one of the countries with the highest tobacco burden in the world. Nearly one in three adults consumes tobacco in some form. The toll is staggering - more than 1.3 million people in India die each year from tobacco-related illnesses, many of which are preventable.

While tobacco is widely linked to lung cancer, its health risks extend far beyond that. It is also a major contributor to heart disease, stroke, chronic respiratory illnesses, oral cancer, and several other serious conditions. The impact continues to place a heavy health burden on millions of individuals and families across the country.

HT Lifestyle reached out to Dr Ankur Nandan Varshney, senior ...