World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) takes place every year on May 31st. It was created by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987, and is observed by all member states of the United Nations.
World No Tobacco Day provides an opportunity to remind people of the dangers of tobacco use, and encourage people to stop using tobacco. Tobacco damages health, economies, and the environment.
What do you do on World No Tobacco Day?
It’s easy to participate. Here’s what you can do, or not do, as the case may be.
- Stop smoking or using other forms of tobacco. It’s not just smoking that’s bad for you. There’s no good way to use tobacco. WNTD calls for people to give up tobacco use for 24 hours, but don’t stop there!
- Encourage those you know to quit using tobacco.
- Learn more about the negative health effects of tobacco, and share the information.
Tobacco is a global problem
Tobacco use is the largest cause of preventable death in the United States. It’s not just an American problem, however. The CDC estimates that there are roughly 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. According to WHO, tobacco kills more than 7 million people across the globe each year.
There’s no way around it: tobacco kills. Those who use tobacco are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world.
Tobacco use and cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease – sometimes just called heart disease – includes a number of diseases and conditions. Heart disease can lead to serious problems such as heart failure, heart attack, stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension, valve problems, and arrhythmias.
Using tobacco doesn’t necessarily mean a person will develop serious cardiovascular problems. However, tobacco use significantly increases a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Avoiding tobacco use is a simple way to help safeguard your health.
Give up tobacco for good
Tobacco doesn’t just cause heart disease. It can cause a number of other serious problems including various cancers and diseases. It also decreases overall life expectancy.
World No Tobacco Day can help you quit for good. 24 tobacco free hours is a good start, but don’t stop there! Contact the pulmonologists at Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic for information about a free lung cancer screening.