World No Tobacco Day To Be Observe On May 31

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd May, 2017 ) :World No Tabacco day will be observed on May 31 (Wednesday) across the globe highlighting the health and additional risks associated with tobacco use, and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2017, "Tobacco - a threat to development." Goals of the World No Tobacco Day 2017 campaign would highlight the links between the use of tobacco products, tobacco control and sustainable development.

Encourage countries to include tobacco control in their national responses to 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Support Member States and civil society to combat tobacco industry interference in political processes, in turn leading to stronger national tobacco control action.

Demonstrate how individuals can contribute to making a sustainable, tobacco-free world, either by committing to never taking up tobacco products, or by quitting the habit. WHO is calling on countries to prioritize and accelerate tobacco control efforts as part of their responses to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

All countries benefit from successfully controlling the tobacco epidemic, above all by protecting their citizens from the harms of tobacco use and reducing its economic toll on national economies.

The aim of the Sustainable Development Agenda, and its 17 global goals, is to ensure that "no one is left behind.

" In addition to saving lives and reducing health inequalities, comprehensive tobacco control contains the adverse environmental impact of tobacco growing, manufacturing, trade and consumption.

Tobacco control can break the cycle of poverty, contribute to ending hunger, promote sustainable agriculture and economic growth, and combat climate change. It is not only governments who can step up tobacco control efforts, people can contribute on an individual level to making a sustainable, tobacco-free world.

People can commit to never take up tobacco products. About 6 million people die from tobacco use every year, a figure that is predicted to grow to more than 8 million a year by 2030 without intensified action.

Tobacco use is a threat to any person, regardless of gender, age, race, cultural or educational background. Tobacco growing requires large amounts of pesticides and fertilizers, which can be toxic and pollute water supplies.

Each year, tobacco growing uses 4.3 million hectares of land, resulting in global deforestation between 2% and 4%. Tobacco manufacturing also produces over 2 million tonnes of solid waste. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) guides the global fight against the tobacco epidemic.