31 May is World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day was created by the WHO Member States in 1987 and is commemorated each year on 31 May. The aim of the day is to raise awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure.

This yearly celebration informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

The Member States of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes. In 1987, the World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38, calling for 7 April 1988 to be “a world no-smoking day.” In 1988, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed, calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on 31 May.

The harmful impact of the tobacco industry on the environment is vast and growing adding unnecessary pressure to our planet’s already scarce resources and fragile ecosystems.

Tobacco kills over 8 million people every year and destroys our environment, further harming human health, through the cultivation, production, distribution, consumption, and post-consumer waste.

World No Tobacco Day is observed annually on May 31. The theme of the World no Tobacco Day 2022 is “Protect The Environment”.

Every year World No Tobacco is observed with a different theme; this year, the theme of World no Tobacco Day is “Protect The Environment”. The 2022 global campaign aims to raise public awareness about the environmental impact of the entire tobacco cycle, from its cultivation, production, and distribution to the toxic waste it generates.

This year, the theme focuses on the impact of tobacco on the environment. The harmful impact of the tobacco industry on the environment is vast and growing adding unnecessary pressure to our planet’s already scarce resources and fragile ecosystems.

In 1987 the World Health Organisation passed a resolution that announced April 7, 1988, as World No Smoking Day. The act was passed to motivate people to prevent using tobacco for at least 24 hours. Later in 1988, the organization passed another resolution that the ‘World No Tobacco Day will be observed on May 31.

In 2008, the WHO banned any kind of advertisement or promotion about tobacco, thinking that probably the ads attract youth to indulge in smoking.

BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING:

On this day, several campaigns, events, and activities are organised to educate people about the bad effects of tobacco on health. There are immediate and long-term health benefits if you quit smoking.

According to WHO, some beneficial health changes that take place are:

• Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
• In 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal, and in 2- to 12 weeks, your lung function increases.
• In 1 to 9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease and in 1 year, your risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker.