World No Tobacco Day
Overview
World No Tobacco Day is an annual celebration that informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what the World Health Organization (WHO) is doing to fight tobacco use, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living. It was created to bring awareness to more people about the dangers and health risks of smoking tobacco, and ultimately, to stop use of tobacco around the world.
World No Tobacco Day is an initiative by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Member States of the World Health Organization created WNTD in 1987 as a response to the global tobacco crisis and the diseases and deaths caused by the epidemic. The World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38 in 1987, calling for April 7 to be “World No-Smoking Day.” Next, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed in 1988, issuing May 31 as an annual observance of World No Tobacco Day. The celebration is observed on May 31 every year.
The World Health Organization reports 8 million deaths every year due to tobacco consumption. Tobacco is the leading cause of respiratory disorders like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, and other lung diseases. The campaign aims to spread awareness about the dangers of tobacco and its negative impact on health, as well as the exploitation of the nicotine industry that is geared towards the youth in particular. It also aims to reduce the diseases and deaths caused by tobacco consumption.
World No Tobacco Day aims to draw attention to the business practices of tobacco companies to capture generations of consumers and their interference in policy decisions that undermines effective tobacco control.
World No Tobacco Day serves to highlight what WHO is doing, through the secretariat of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), to fight the tobacco epidemic that kills up to half its users and contributes to more than eight million people dying every year, and what people can do to protect future generations and allow everyone the chance to claim their right to health.
It shows us how the tobacco industry contributes to poverty
Around 80% of deaths due to tobacco happen in low- and middle-income countries. In other words, the poorest people are the ones most negatively affected. Due to addiction, money that could be used on education, food, or health care, goes to tobacco. Over the years, this decreases productivity and drives up the cost of health care. That’s not a pretty picture for any income, and it’s a surSe-fire way to keep the less fortunate impoverished.
It warns us of the dangers of second-hand smoke
Second-hand smoke causes over 600,000 deaths a year. Sadly, about 28% of the victims are kids. But considering that nearly 50% of children breathe smoky air in public places, we’re lucky that the rate isn’t higher. Many cities and states already have public smoking bans, but it will take more work to get everybody on board.
It demonstrates how the tobacco industry damages the environment
Growing tobacco takes a lot of pesticides and fertilizers. Some of these toxic elements can seep into water supplies, but the damage doesn’t stop there. The manufacturing process creates more than 2 million tons of waste and consumes 4.3 million hectares of land. It’s estimated that this contributes between 2% and 4% of the world’s deforestation. If you like to breathe air, it’s worth saving as much of our forests as possible. A few less tobacco farms could help.
It shows how the tobacco industry seeks to influence politics and public
The tobacco industry seeks to present a different business model and portray itself as socially responsible – while at the same time it continues to use multiple tactics to interfere with laws and evidence-based information that would curb the consumption of tobacco. Interference occurs at several levels, aimed at multiple stakeholders including manufacturers, advertisers, public relation companies, vendors, government officials with tobacco industry stocks and lobbyists.