Tobacco Use Declines in Jharkhand, Yet Rural Women Continue High Consumption: NFHS-6 Report
Ranchi: Jharkhand has recorded a marginal decline in tobacco consumption, but the habit remains widespread, especially in rural areas, according to the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6, 2023-24) released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.
While the overall numbers show slight improvement, health experts have expressed concern that a large section of the population continues to use tobacco in various forms. The survey highlights a clear rural-urban divide in consumption patterns.According to the NFHS-6 report, 7.5 percent of women aged 15 years and above in Jharkhand currently consume tobacco or its products. This marks a decrease from 8.4 percent recorded in NFHS-5 (2019-21).
Rural-Urban Gap
- Rural areas: 8.5% of women use tobacco
- Urban areas: 4% of women use tobacco
The significantly higher usage in villages indicates that awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco remains low in rural and semi-urban regions of the state.
Health officials say this gap calls for stronger, targeted awareness campaigns at the grassroots level to educate people about the serious health risks, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory illnesses. Areas around Ranchi suburbs such as Namkum, Khelgaon, and other rural pockets are likely to show similar trends.
The decline, though small, is being seen as a positive development. However, authorities will need to intensify efforts under the National Tobacco Control Programme to bring the numbers down further, especially among women in rural Jharkhand.
