World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day is observed every year on May 31st. On this day, the World Health Organization (WHO) together with governments and NGOs, holds an international campaign to educate the public about the use of tobacco.
They host an international campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking, how to quit it, live a healthy life, and how we can turn the world into a tobacco-free place.
On this day, the WHO encourages smokers to go tobacco-free for 24 hours, in an effort to make every day a no-tobacco day.
History of the World On Tobacco Day
The member states of the World Health Organization discussed the idea of ??creating an international day in 1987 to raise public awareness about the tobacco epidemic and how it causes multiple deaths and diseases.
As a result, a resolution was passed in favor of this day and the first World No Tobacco Day was held on April 7, 1988.
Another resolution was passed later that year establishing that World No Tobacco Day must be observed every year on May 31st.
This day has been observed ever since and it has gained a lot of popularity within several different parts of the globe.
Why do We Commemorate World No Tobacco Day
Smoking is something that does not only affect the smokers but also the people around them and the environment.
There are even NGOs, health groups, and communities that participate in this day. They create their own anti-smoking campaigns or events as a means to make more and more people aware and encourage them to go tobacco-free.
Every year, a different theme highlights the dangers of smoking, and anti-tobacco campaigns revolve around that theme.
Some World No Tobacco Day themes have included:
- 2019 - Tobacco and lung health.
- 2020 - Tobacco Exposed: The Secret's Out.
- 2021- Commit to Quit
- 2022- Protect The Environment
The World No Tobacco Day theme for 2023 is "Tobacco- Grow Food Not Tobacco."
Smoking is one of the world's most preventable causes of disease and death, however, over 6 million people still die from tobacco use every year.
It is also estimated that 600,000 people lose their lives every year due to second-hand smoke.
At the same time, studies show that 80% of these deaths occur in low and middle-income households.
With the average smoker spending around $4,000 on tobacco every year, this shows how tobacco contributes to perpetuating poverty.
How to Participate In World No Tobacco Day
Besides raising awareness, World No Tobacco Day also intends to promote tobacco control policies.
These include increasing taxes on tobacco products, banning tobacco advertising, and sponsorships, and establishing no-smoking public places.
Such policies proved effective in reducing the consumption of tobacco but there's a long way to go to battle this.
Join in on the effort to reduce the consumption of tobacco in the world by spreading information, educating others about the dangers of smoking, signing petitions for sticker laws, and joining protests to advocate for banning smoking in public places. If you're a smoker, check one of the many resources available to help you stop smoking.
