Today most of us aware that tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world and after lot of researches it is been noted that close to 650 million people use tobacco which may slowly take of their life. The numerical figure is really quite alarming. The worst part is that even the non users of tobacco or who have never smoked at all die every year from diseases caused by breathing second-hand tobacco smoke.
The World No Tobacco Day is mainly to bring awareness among people with issues related to hazards of tobacco and is observed around the world on May 31 of every year. The main objective of this day is to make the people stay abstained from all tobacco and its related products for at least a period of 24 hours. The day also brings various other factors into global attention like the negative health effects and also how to improve a healthy lifestyle and habits among the public, especially among the future generation.
The World No Tobacco Day also stresses on the demerits of the tobacco products and informs people to improve their own health, as well as the health of their families, friends, and others in their community. Since the creation of the World No Tobacco Day in 1987 it is been given full support from all parts of the world especially the governments, public health organizations, smokers, growers, and the tobacco industry.
World No Tobacco Day
Though the general perspective of the World No Tobacco Day is to educate about and to fight against the tobacco epidemic, this year it is going to focus more on the harmful effects of tobacco marketing towards women and girls. According to various reports of the total population of smokers, 20% is shared by the females and the graph shows an upward rise of curve. The Medias target is more on the women folk for there is a data showing from a report of 151 countries nearly 7% of adolescent girls smoke cigarettes as opposed to 12% of adolescent boys. The theme for the year 2010 is "Gender and tobacco with an emphasis on marketing to women". It will also highlight the need for the nearly 170 Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to ban all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in accordance with their constitutions or constitutional principles.History of World No Tobacco Day
The main aim of discovery of this World No Tobacco Day is to prevent millions of people dying every year because of the tobacco consumption. It was first observed on April 7th 1987 according to a resolution passed by World Health Assembly, but soon again in the year 1988 another resolution was decided by the same community calling for May 31 to be celebrated as "World No- Tobacco Day" every year.
Symbol
The World No Tobacco Day is signified in such a way where the Ash trays have fresh flowers.Awards
Apart from educating the public about the result of the use of tobacco the WHO also encourage individuals and other organization that come forward and work towards reducing tobacco consumption. World No Tobacco Day Awards are given to individuals from six different world regions (Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific), and Director-General Special Awards and Recognition Certificates are given to individuals from any region.Activities for the World No Tobacco Day
- Number of meetings and activities are held nationwide with national counterparts to implement the concept of World No Tobacco Day.
- There are various activities books related to No Smoking experience is available in the market especially for children aged between 5-11.
- Write to your local newspaper or submit articles dealing with tobacco and related health concerns.
- The anti-tobacco organizations get together and give out free posters, cards and information brochures on World No Tobacco Day.
- Highlight or put up a World No Tobacco Day message at all places visible to the people especially in one's own workstation or office.
- Can also publish newsletters giving information about events and opinions.
- Send mailers, flyers and letters to as many people as possible.
- Conduct events related to this day and try to publicize it in community areas like schools, malls, colleges, shops etc.
- Apart from displaying event related information in local areas try to bring it out in your local community website also.
- The other easy way of bringing it into public awareness is to make any popular personalities like politicians or other public figures to felicitate on the event.
- Conduct competitions in schools and colleges on the event of World No Tobacco Day to bring awareness in the future generation.
- Interview local medical practitioners or social workers and ask them to talk about smoking and its ill effects.
- Try to conduct programs related to the event of day with your local Television and Radio station.
- In some places some countries they even look up the concept of World No Tobacco Day related with an environmental concern, such as donating the money saved by not smoking for a week to a community tree-planting project.