Tobacco increases the risks of heart disease and cancer, Prakash Gupta, a scientist at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, reported at an International Heart Conference here on Tuesday.

Gupta and colleagues have carried out a study on 5,000 people from Bhavnagar area of Gujarat and found that 85 per cent of those who died due to tobacco-related disease were below 35. Studies carried out in other parts of India show that the trend is the same throughout the country, Gupta said.

In fact 60 per cent of Indians start smoking before 20, says Prabaht Jha of World Bank, who added that globally half of the tobacco deaths occur between 30 to 69 years of age, which isthe most-productive age of life.

However, developing countries are yet to see the full damage caused by tobacco due to the time lag between smoking and related health effects, he said.

Bidi, popular in rural India, is even more dangerous. Bidi-smokers have 40 per cent higher risk of developing fatal diseases than cigarette-smokers, Gupta said. As a result of increasing use of tobacco-products like bidi and pan masala in villages, oral cancer incidence is rising sharply in rural India, he said.