World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day is observed on May 31 to raise annual awareness, highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and encourage governments to adopt effective policies to reduce smoking. Consuming tobacco kills over 80 lakh people across the world every year. While the popular belief is that smoking largely affects the lungs because they get directly exposed to inhaled smoke, health experts warned that it also impacts the entire cardiovascular system and causes the environment to degrade.
World No Tobacco Day 2022: Theme
Since 1987, WHO (World Health Organisation) sponsors May 31st as World No Tobacco Day. Since then, this day is marked each year with a relevant theme. This year, the theme is "Protect The Environment".
According to WHO, "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."
World No Tobacco Day 2022: History, Significance and Facts
Every year, the World Health Organisation honours organisations and government for their efforts and contributions to curbing tobacco use. India runs a National Tobacco Control Programme to educate people about the health implications of it consumption. This year, the WHO has selected Jharkhand for the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Award-2022.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, tobacco use is a major risk factor for the four main Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) -- cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes. Apart from these, smoking tobacco can also affect your gums and lead to several gum-related diseases.
Also, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said that smokers have up to a 50 per cent higher risk of developing severe disease and death from Covid-19.
