Leading oncologists from over 100 cancer hospitals have favoured inclusion of bidi in the list of demerit goods under the GST regime, saying this low-cost tobacco product is the single largest cause of smoking-related deaths in the country. <br/><br/>The demand comes ahead of the GST Council meeting on Monday that is likely to fix GST rates, including those on demerit goods.<br/><br/>Oncologists from 108 cancer centres have pleaded to end the serious anomaly of low tax on bidis in the Goods and Services Tax, as bidi smoking alone kills as many as 6 lakh people or 60 per cent of all cancer-related deaths annually.<br/><br/>The letter pointed out that according to the Union health ministry, total economic cost attributable to tobacco use in 2011 was a staggering 1.05 lakh crore rupees. It was 1.16 per cent of the then GDP and 12 percent of combined healthcare budgets of the Centre and states. The total excise duty collected from tobacco was however only 17 per cent of this cost.