World No Tobacco Day is an initiative by the World Health Organization and is observed on May 31 every year. 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.
The World Health Organization reports 8 million deaths every year due to the consumption of tobacco. Tobacco is the leading cause of respiratory disorders like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, and other lung diseases. In 2008, the WHO banned any kind of advertisement or promotion of tobacco. As the world’s most populated country, China is the leader in the cigarette industry. More than 30% of the total cigarettes in the world were produced and consumed in China in 2014.
HOW TO OBSERVE WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY
-
Count the number of cigarettes you smoke
You might not be ready to quit, and who can blame you? It’s tough. But you can start laying the groundwork for your exit by counting the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day. You’ll start to think more about your health and the amount of money you put into tobacco. When you’re ready to take the plunge, there are plenty of self-help books that will guide you through the early rocky stages. You can do it!
-
Educate the youth
As they say, the best way to quit smoking is to never start. So try and encourage young people around you to avoid the habit altogether. Depending on where you live, there might be a march or some public demonstrations. Maybe you can design a cool poster to help promote them. Better yet, hold a contest to see who can create the best anti-smoking poster. Teenagers can be a bit mischievous, so you’ll want to clearly define what’s “appropriate” before they hit you with the final reveal.
