Doll and Peto established the link between smoking and lung injury in their renowned 'British Doctor's Study'
in 1976, but the link between smoking and tuberculosis (TB) was investigated as early as 1918. Various studies have
proven beyond doubt that active and passive tobacco smoke exposure increases the risk of developing TB disease and
leads to faster and more rapid progression of TB, with higher rates of relapse and death. Nonetheless, this pandemic has
received far too little attention. This lack of focus has the potential to derail India's goal of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025.
Healthcare workers must be aware of the heinous effects of smoking and its impact on the outcome of tuberculosis. It
is also essential for the public health community to disseminate this knowledge to patients to achieve better treatment
outcomes.