World No Tobacco Day 2025: Protecting children from tobacco

World No Tobacco Day 2025 India is focused on the important issue of protecting children from the influence of the tobacco industry.

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated on May 31st every year, and this year’s theme, "Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference," highlights the urgent need to put strong measures in place to keep our young generation safe from the manipulative tactics used by tobacco companies.

By raising awareness and calling for stricter regulations, this campaign aims to stop the industry from targeting and exploiting our vulnerable youth, ensuring that children grow up in a healthier, tobacco-free environment.

World No Tobacco Day Activities: What Do People Do?

World No Tobacco Day is a special occasion when people, non-governmental organizations, and governments come together to organize various World No Tobacco Day activities to spread awareness about the health problems caused by tobacco use. These activities include:

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Public marches and demonstrations often with colourful banners and strong messages.
Awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to teach people about the risks of tobacco.
Visiting public places and encouraging people to quit smoking.
Imposing smoking restrictions in certain locations or prohibiting tobacco advertisements.
Gathering and discussions of anti-tobacco groups to coordinate and strategize.

These World No Tobacco Day activities are important in helping people understand the harmful effects of tobacco and promoting a healthier, tobacco-free lifestyle.

History and Impact of Tobacco Use

Tobacco is a product of the fresh leaves of Nicotiana plants. It is used as an aid in spiritual ceremonies and as a recreational drug. It originated in America but was introduced to Europe by Jean Nicot, the French ambassador to Portugal, in 1559. It quickly became popular and an important trade crop.

Medical research made it clear during the 1900s that tobacco use increased the likelihood of many illnesses including heart attacks, strokes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema and many forms of cancer. This is true for always in which tobacco is used, including:

Cigarettes and cigars
Hand rolling tobacco
Bidis and kreteks (cigarettes containing tobacco with herbs or spices)
Pipes and water pipes
Chewing tobacco
Snuff
Creamy snuff (a paste consisting of tobacco, clove oil, glycerin, spearmint, menthol, and camphor sold in a toothpaste tube popular in India)
utkha (a version of chewing tobacco mixed with areca nut, catechu, slaked lime, and other condiments popular in India and South-East Asia).

On May 15, 1987, the World Health Organization passed a resolution calling for April 7, 1988, to be the first World No Smoking Day. This date was chosen because it was the 40th anniversary of the World Health Organization. On May 17, 1989, the World Health Organization passed a resolution calling for May 31 to be annually known as World No Tobacco Day. This event has been observed each year since 1989.

Symbols of Anti-Tobacco Day

Images that symbolize Anti Tobacco Day are:

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Clean ashtrays with flowers in them
Ashtrays with images of body parts, such as the heart and lungs, which are damaged by tobacco use
No smoking signs
Symbols of death, such as gravestones and skulls, with cigarettes
Images of the diseases caused by tobacco use

These images are often displayed as posters, on Internet sites and blogs, on clothing and public transport vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

The slogan for World No Tobacco Day varies each year. For example, recent slogans have included "Commit to Quit" and "Tobacco Breaks Hearts."

World No Tobacco Day is marked on May 31st to promote effective policies that would lower tobacco consumption worldwide and to increase public knowledge of the health concerns with tobacco use.

World No Tobacco Day is a global initiative coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about the health dangers connected with tobacco use and advocate tobacco control legislation.

It is observed annually on May 31st to coincide with the founding of the WHO and to emphasize the need for global action to reduce tobacco use.

Tobacco use significantly increases the risk of developing various types of cancer, including lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, kidney, and cervix cancer. It contains harmful chemicals that damage DNA and weaken the body's ability to fight cancer cells. Smoking and chewing tobacco are leading causes of preventable cancer-related deaths worldwide.