World No Tobacco Day – May 31, 2021

Since 1987, the World Health Organization (WHO) has established World No Tobacco Day on May 31st with the aim of highlighting the tobacco epidemic and its deadly effects, all over the world. Each year, tobacco causes the premature and preventable deaths of 8 million people around the world. In France, tobacco is the leading cause of death with 75,000 premature deaths each year. In 2021, the theme of World No Tobacco Day is "Commit to Quit". The main objective of this campaign is to support, through initiatives and digital solutions, the 100 million people worldwide who are trying to quit smoking. The operation aims to contribute to the creation of healthier environments that are therefore conducive to quitting smoking. The WHO recalls that it intends to achieve this objective by:

• Advocating for strict policies aimed at smoking cessation
• Promoting expanded access to cessation services
• Exposing Tobacco Industry Tactics
• Enabling smokers to successfully quit smoking, thanks to the “Winning to Quit” initiatives

Previous editions of World No Tobacco Day have addressed, among others, the following themes: second-hand smoke kills (2001), tobacco and poverty, a vicious circle (2004), tobacco and gender – the issue of marketing to women (2010).

Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits

Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits. Within just 20 minutes of quitting, your heart rate drops. Within 12 hours, your blood carbon monoxide levels return to normal. Within 2 to 12 weeks, your circulation improves and your lung function increases. Within 1 to 9 months, your cough and breathing difficulties decrease. Within 5 to 15 years, your risk of stroke is reduced to that of a non-smoker. Within 10 years, your lung cancer death rate is reduced to half that of a smoker. Within 15 years, your risk of cardiovascular disease is reduced to that of a non-smoker.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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National Committee Against Smoking |