We need food, not tobacco - THIS IS THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR’S WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY- WHICH FALLS ON 31ST MAY.

Tobacco is estimated to be grown in around 125 countries, and about 4 million hectares of cultivable land is used for this purpose. A lot of pesticides and fertilisers are used to cultivate good-quality tobacco. This decreases soil fertility and destroys the available cultivable land.

To address this issue, WHO has penned this year’s theme for WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY AS WE NEED FOOD, NOT TOBACCO.

The agenda is to coordinate and educate tobacco farmers about alternative crops that can be grown instead of tobacco. This is not only going to reduce and restrict tobacco farming but also help in increasing the growth of other food grains.

We also face extreme food shortages, maybe because of improper management and the economy. Adding to this was the Covid pandemic, which brought everyone to dire straits.

We all know the hazards of tobacco on our health. On the pack itself, it is captioned that “tobacco kills”. Hopefully, this initiative by the WHO will bring a lot of reforms in farming, restrict tobacco farming, and meet the demands of food shortage. So friends, let us pledge on this WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY to say no to this harmful substance for the betterment of future generations. Let us unite and give them a better world to live in.