Every year on 31st May, World No Tobacco Day is organized by the World Health Organization to raise public awareness of the dangers of tobacco use and its products, as well as their detrimental effects on the environment, society, and family. Tobacco use and its consumption are one of the leading causes of many types of cancer like the larynx mouth, throat, esophagus, lungs, kidney, bladder, stomach, liver, colon, pancreas, and cervix, as well as acute Myeloid Leukaemia. It is estimated that tobacco use results in the deaths of about 1 crore people annually. Tobacco not only affects health but also impacts the environment badly in many ways.
The day aims to raise awareness about the wide range of environmental impacts of tobacco, from deforestation and toxic waste to the massive amounts of water and energy required for tobacco cultivation and production. It also supports global efforts to control tobacco use by encouraging a shift towards more sustainable practices. The World Health Organization and several international partners are spearheading initiatives that motivate people to take proactive steps to safeguard the environment and advance health in their communities and governments.
On World No Tobacco Day 2024, Dr. Ravinder Singh Rao, a renowned public health expert, will play a pivotal role in guiding discussions and educational sessions focusing on the impact of tobacco on health and the environment. His knowledge will be essential in assisting participants in comprehending the various issues related to tobacco use, including its effects on the environment. Through seminars, workshops, and public engagements, Dr. Ravinder Singh Rao aims to empower communities, and health professionals to implement stronger tobacco control measures, ultimately fostering a healthier and more sustainable future. Source URL…
The Theme For World No Tobacco Day 2024
The Theme for World No Tobacco Day 2024 is “Protecting Children From Tobacco Industry Interference” to safeguard future generations and guarantee that tobacco use continues to diminish. This year, attention is directed toward the alarming trend of the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing toward youth. The attractiveness of tobacco products is being introduced to a growing number of young people through widespread social media and streaming platform advertisements, endangering their health and well-being. Most countries national polls regularly reveal that children between the ages of 13 and 15 use tobacco and nicotine products.
Smoking among youth remains prevalent and is increasing in certain nations. According to the Tobacco Atlas, 50 million boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 15 worldwide use tobacco products. In popular current shows among the 15 to 24 age group, tobacco-related scenes have climbed by 110% in 2022. These scenes frequently depict smoking as stylish and hip. According to Truth Initiative, young people are up to 3x more likely to start vaping when exposed to smoking imagery on screen. Source URL……….
History of World No Tobacco Day
Tobacco use has a terrible impact on public health worldwide, leading to sickness and death. In 1987, state members of the World Health Organization launched “World No Tobacco Day” to bring attention to this issue. The World Health Assembly declared April 7, 1988, “a world no-smoking day” in resolution WHA40.38 in 1987. May 31 was declared World No Tobacco Day in 1988 by Resolution WHA42.19.
Significance of World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day 2024 holds immense significance in the annoying global efforts to combat the tobacco epidemic and promote public health. The manufacturing, consumption, and farming of tobacco all have a substantial negative impact on pollution, deforestation, and resource depletion, which exacerbates climate change and environmental degradation. World No Tobacco Day 2024 seeks to bring attention to these interrelated problems and inspire action to alleviate the environmental impact of tobacco production and use.
Furthermore, the occasion of this year’s commemoration offers a chance to restate the commitment of governments, civil society organizations, medical experts, and people everywhere to tobacco control initiatives. It serves as a platform to advocate for evidence-based policies, such as smoke-free environments, tobacco taxation, and comprehensive tobacco cessation programs, which are essential for reducing tobacco-related morbidity and mortality.
In addition, World No Tobacco Day 2024 acts as a wake-up call to the tobacco industry’s aggressive marketing strategies and dishonest business practices that prey on vulnerable groups including children and underprivileged communities. The day gives people and communities the power to reject the tobacco industry’s influence and make health-related decisions by exposing these strategies and pushing for stricter regulations to combat them. Source URL…..
Importance of World No Tobacco Day
Around the world, about 35 lakh hectares of land are used for tobacco farming annually. It is believed that tobacco production results in 2 lakh hectares of annual deforestation. The production of tobacco has a more profoundly detrimental impact on ecosystems than other agricultural practices like raising maize and grazing livestock because tobacco farmlands are more vulnerable to desertification, or the loss of biological productivity. Furthermore, growing tobacco necessitates the intensive application of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which may cause the soil’s fertility to be depleted and thus reduce the yield of other food crops.
Sustainable food production in poor and middle-income nations could be jeopardized if tobacco were grown as a commercial crop. Most of the major tobacco-growing regions (90%) are low- and middle-income countries; four of these fall into the category of low-income countries with food deficits. The preceding situations highlight the urgent need for legislative action to stop the cultivation of tobacco and help farmers switch to growing other food crops. Source URL……
How Does Smoking and Tobacco Consumption Impact Health?
Smoking and tobacco use have a variety of negative health effects, and they may be the cause of the following deadly illnesses:
- Cancer of the digestive system like GERD, and Achalasia Cardia (stomach, pancreas, rectum, mouth, liver, esophagus, and colon).
- neurovascular problems, neurological illnesses, and other neuro-related diseases such as vascular dementia, stroke, and Small Vessel Ischemic Disease of the Brain (SVID)
- Lung disease.
- Diabetes.
- Heart disease.
- Tuberculosis.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Certain eye diseases.
How Tobacco is Affecting The Environment?
- Every year, almost 35 lakh hectares of land are destroyed worldwide to cultivate tobacco.
- Every year, tobacco farming is the cause of 2,00,000 hectares of deforestation and soil deterioration.
- Around 4.5 lakh crore cigarette butts are not disposed of properly every year globally.
- Producing 80 crore kilograms of hazardous waste annually and discharging thousands of chemicals into the earth, water, and air.
- Use of large amounts of water to cultivate tobacco, depleting water from the planet.
Main Goal of World No Tobacco Day 2024
The main goal of World No Tobacco Day 2024 is to raise global awareness about the significant health risks associated with tobacco use while emphasizing its detrimental impact on the environment. The day’s theme, “Protecting Children From Tobacco Industry Interference” attempts to draw attention to the negative effects that tobacco production, consumption, and farming have on the environment, such as resource depletion, pollution, and deforestation. By educating individuals and communities about the environmental footprint of tobacco, the goal is to inspire collective action toward reducing tobacco consumption and implementing effective tobacco control policies. The ultimate goal of society No Tobacco Day 2024 is to promote a better, more sustainable society by addressing the problems that tobacco use poses to the environment and human health. Source URL……..
FAQs
What is World No Tobacco Day?
World No Tobacco Day is observed globally on May 31st every year to raise awareness about the health risks associated with tobacco use and to advocate for effective tobacco control policies.
What is the theme for World No Tobacco Day 2024?
The Theme for World No Tobacco Day 2024 is “Protecting Children From Tobacco Industry Interference” to safeguard future generations and guarantee that tobacco use continues to decline.
Why is World No Tobacco Day important?
World No Tobacco Day is significant because it offers a chance to inform people and communities about the damaging consequences of tobacco use on the environment and human health, as well as to promote policies aimed at lowering tobacco use and safeguarding public health.
How can I participate in World No Tobacco Day activities?
One way to take part in World No Tobacco Day events is to plan or go to campaigns, workshops, or community clean-up efforts that raise awareness about tobacco-related concerns. Additionally, you can pledge to quit smoking or support someone in their journey to quit.
What can I do to support World No Tobacco Day?
By raising awareness of the dangers smoking poses to one’s health and the effects tobacco production has on the environment, you can help World No Tobacco Day. You can also advocate for tobacco control policies in your community and encourage smokers to quit or seek help for cessation.
How can communities support tobacco control efforts?
By encouraging smoke-free settings, enforcing tobacco-free laws in public areas, making tobacco cessation services accessible, and supporting tobacco control legislation, communities may aid in the fight against tobacco use.