World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed on 31 May across the world by the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners every year. The day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure.
It encourages a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the globe. It draws attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to negative health effects.
The theme for 2020 Anti-tobacco Day “Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use”.
Tobacco industries across the world have deliberately employed many tactics to attract youth to tobacco and nicotine products. The theme aims to stop the tobacco industry from exploiting children and young people.
Tobacco is prepared from tobacco plant leaves. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, so far. The dried tobacco leaves can be used for smoking in cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and flavored shisha tobacco. Tobacco is consumed as snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, and snus.
Tobacco affects the heart, liver, and induce many cancers. In 2008, WHO named tobacco as the world’s single greatest preventable cause of death.