World No Tobacco Day 2023

World No Tobacco Day is organized by WHO every year on 31st May to spread awareness about the risk related to consumption of tobacco and its product and its ill effect on the families, society and environment.  

Tobacco harms our, farmers and the plant’s health. This day is recognized to end tobacco growing and support farmers to grow more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition. 

World No Tobacco Day 2023 Theme: 

Year by year themes change for this day- 

• 2022 theme: Tobacco: Threat for our Environment 
• 2021 theme: Commit to quit 
• 2020 theme: Tobacco exposed 
• 2019 theme: Tobacco and lung health 
• 2018 theme: Tobacco and heart disease  

In 2023, the WNTD theme is “We need food, not tobacco”, purpose is to get tobacco producers to adopt sustainable and nutritious crops. 

On this day, government authorities make policies, strategies and enable market conditions for tobacco farmers by switching them to growing food crops to curb the food crisis.  

Importance of the Day: 

Around the World, more than 30 lakh hectares of land are used for tobacco farming annually. The annual growth caused by tobacco farming is estimated at 2 lakh hectares. Also, growing tobacco needs heavy usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that might result in the depletion of soil fertility, resulting in reducing the reducing the production of other food crops.  

In consideration of the above scenarios, there is an immediate need for judicial action for tobacco cultivation and assist farmers in transitioning to the cultivation of other food crops.  

Impact of Tobacco in our health and environment: 

Tobacco consumption and smoking affects our health in so many ways, it could be reason for the various diseases- 

• Cancer of digestive system 
• Neurological disorders 
• Heart disease 
• Lung disease 
• Diabetes  
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
• Tuberculosis 

There are many ways tobacco affect the environment as well- 

• Soil degradation every year because of usage of chemical fertilizers. 
• Chemical fertilizers that used for the tobacco crops, release into the air, water and soil. 
• Large amount of water used to cultivate tobacco, depleting water from planet. 

However, when one quits smoking, their life gets healthier and happier. Quitting smoking also gives energy to smokers as they gain a better sense of control.  

Peoples can quit smoking by taking some small but important steps. The most practical action is to choose a healthy diet, as smokers need more antioxidants and nutrients than others.  

• A good intake of vitamin B12 is beneficial for smokers. 
• Eating vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radish etc which are cruciferous. 
• Besides a proper intake of Vitamins like A, C, D and E is equally important.  

Conclusion: 

Smoking is associated with few diseases, some of them being dangerous ones. It reduces the level of good cholesterol and elevate bad cholesterol, causing damage to the heart and inviting diseases like stroke, various cancers and osteoporosis. 

Therefore, World No Tobacco Day is celebrated to aware about all this precautionary and healthy habits with all the smokers and encourage them to get rid of this life-threatening habit.