Health experts alarmed by GST cut on beedis, demand uniform taxation
GST
Dated:- 7-9-2025
PTI
New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) Health experts have raised serious concerns over the government's decision to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on beedis from 28 per cent to 18 per cent, while other tobacco products remain in the highest 40 per cent slab.
They warned that cheaper beedis could increase their use, particularly among poor and vulnerable communities, worsening India's tobacco-related health burden.
Beedis, the most commonly smoked tobacco product in India, are used by over 70 million adults, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) India 2016-17.
Warning of public health risks, renowned oncologist and recipient o
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beedis, public health expert and Head of the Department of Rheumatology at AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Uma Kumar said evidence clearly shows that higher taxation helps prevent tobacco use by reducing its affordability.
“Beedis are no less harmful than cigarettes or smokeless tobacco. Their toxicity is well documented and consumption leads to life-threatening diseases such as cancers, respiratory illnesses, and heart conditions,” she said.
Former director general of health services Dr Jagdish Prasad said no health or economic expert would support making a deadly product like beedi cheaper.
“Uneven tax policies that favour beedis over other tobacco products dangerously encourage their use, undermining decades of public health efforts. Bold, uniform a
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e and lowers overall consumption. This approach helps protect vulnerable populations from devastating health consequences and reduces the immense economic burden on our healthcare system,” she said.
Taxation is a proven tool for tobacco control, according to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), to which India is an early signatory.
Global studies show that a 10 per cent price increase can reduce tobacco consumption by 4-8 per cent in low and middle-income countries, particularly among the youth and lower-income groups sensitive to price changes.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) further recommends that at least 75 per cent of the retail price of tobacco products should be taxed to effectiv
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