Imagine a silent threat weakening your body’s defences, making way for a dangerous disease. That’s what smoking does when it comes to tuberculosis (TB). In India, where TB is a big health problem, the connection between smoking cigarettes or bidis and this infectious disease is a serious concern. TB is preventable and treatable, but certain habits like smoking make it harder to fight – and smoking is one of the biggest risk factors.

How Smoking Fuels Tuberculosis

TB and Tobacco: A Toxic Combination in India

Why Quitting Smoking is Key to TB Prevention

What You Can Do: Practical Steps to Quit

Quick Takeaways: TB and Smoking Facts

In India, where 2.7 million people were diagnosed with TB in 2023 alone¹, the impact of smoking on TB control cannot be ignored. Tobacco weakens the lungs, reduces immunity, and increases the likelihood of TB infection progressing into active disease. But here’s the hopeful side: quitting smoking not only saves lives, but it also breaks the chain of TB transmission in the community.

How smoking fuels TB

Smoking harms the lungs, the very organ that TB most often attacks. The toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke damage the airways and weaken the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smokers are twice as likely to develop active TB compared to non-smokers².

In India, the picture is even more concerning:

• NFHS-5 data shows that one in five men (22.9%) use some form of tobacco³.

• A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed that smoking not only increases TB risk but also delays recovery and worsens treatment outcomes⁴.

This means a person with TB who smokes may take longer to get better and is more likely to relapse.

TB and tobacco: A toxic combination in India

Smoking damages lungs and immunity

Tobacco increases TB relapse and drug resistance

Government initiatives linking TB and tobacco control

Support from Quitline and health clinics

The combination of TB and tobacco use is a double burden on health and the healthcare system. Tobacco contributes to almost 8 million deaths globally every year, and TB kills over 1.3 million people worldwide annually². When these two collide, the outcome can be devastating.

According to the India TB Report 2024, nearly one-third of TB cases in India are linked to tobacco use¹. Tobacco not only increases the risk of contracting TB but also reduces the effectiveness of TB treatment, leading to higher chances of drug resistance.

Why quitting smoking is TB prevention

The good news is that the damage caused by smoking can be reversed when people quit. Quitting smoking:

• Improves lung health and immunity within weeks.
• Enhances the effectiveness of TB medicines.
• Reduces the risk of TB relapse.
• Protects families from second-hand smoke, which also increases TB risk.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in India has integrated tobacco control with TB programmes, recognising that breaking the smoking habit is a key step in reducing TB burden⁵.

What you can do

Quitting smoking may feel difficult, but it is possible with the right support. If you or someone you know is fighting TB and also smoking, here’s what can help:

Breaking the habit is tough but doable with support. Identify triggers—stress, social settings, or routine—and swap them for healthier habits like walking or chewing gum. India’s National Tobacco Quitline and local health clinics offer free counselling. Persistence is key: many need multiple attempts, but each try brings you closer to success.

Kicking the habit, defeating the disease

Quick takeaways: TB and smoking Smokers are twice as likely to develop TB. In India, nearly 1 in 3 TB cases are linked to tobacco use. Smoking delays TB recovery and raises the risk of drug resistance. Quitting smoking boosts immunity and makes TB treatment more effective. Tobacco use affects 38.5% of Indian men, fuelling 2.55 million TB cases annually. 1

The fight against TB is not only about medicines and hospitals — it is also about healthier choices in daily life. By quitting smoking, we do not just protect ourselves, but also our families and communities.

As we rally under India Fights TB, let’s commit to a smoke-free future. By ditching tobacco, you protect yourself, your family, and your community from TB’s grip. Take that first step today for a healthier tomorrow.

This is an educational initiative supported by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Private Limited (a Viatris company).

References:

1. India TB Report 2024, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. https://tbcindia.mohfw.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TB-Report_for-Web_08_10-2024-1.pdf
2. World Health Organization – Tobacco and TB Fact Sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis
3. National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21). https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/NFHS-5_Phase-I.pdf
4. Indian Council of Medical Research – TB and Smoking Research Updates. https://www.icmr.gov.in/policy-briefs
5. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare – Tobacco Cessation and TB Integration. https://ntcp.mohfw.gov.in/