World No Tobacco Day is observed on May 31 every year. To raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco usage, the day is observed.
A resolution voted by the World Health Assembly in 1987 proclaimed April 7th, 1988, as “a world no-smoking day.” Another resolution was adopted later that year, mandating that World No Tobacco Day be observed annually on May 31.
The World No Tobacco Day theme for this year is “We Need Food, Not Tobacco.” The topic was picked to raise awareness among tobacco farmers about other, nutrient-rich crops. The issue was chosen in light of the fact that each year, over 3.5 million hectares of land are converted for the growth of tobacco, contributing to global food insecurity
Dangers of tobacco use
The World Health Organisation states that “tobacco use is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, over 20 different types or subtypes of cancer, and many other disabling health conditions” and that “nicotine contained in tobacco is highly addictive.”
Every year, the use of tobacco results in the deaths of about 8 million individuals.
Smoking and using tobacco products increase the risk of developing a variety of illnesses, including as heart attacks, lung conditions, strokes, and cancers of the mouth, throat, lungs, pancreas, bladder, kidneys, liver, and stomach.
It causes tiny lung tissue damage that is substantial. With each breath, the alveoli, which are the lungs’ functional units, promote the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The linings of the airways and the lungs are damaged by the harmful compounds included in tobacco smoke. It makes the patient less immune to the mycobacterium that causes tuberculosis. Smoking may be responsible for more than 20% of the incidence of TB worldwide.
WHO states that non-smokers can potentially die from tobacco use. Additionally linked to poor health consequences, secondhand smoke exposure accounts over 1.2 million annual deaths. Nearly half of all youngsters breathe tobacco smoke-polluted air, and 65 000 young people pass away each year from diseases linked to second-hand smoke. Smoking during pregnancy can cause newborns to develop a number of chronic health issues.
