Theme of World No Tobacco Day 2019: Tobacco and lung health
Date:2019-2-12 18:29:59 Clicks:479 【Font Size:
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The World Health Organization (WHO) designed 31st May of each year as the annual World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The theme of WNTD 2019 is “Tobacco and lung health”.
The exposure to tobacco would affect the health of people’s lungs and induce various related diseases, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and lower respiratory infections, etc. The most effective measure to improve lung health is to reduce tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure. However, the potential of tobacco control for improving lung health is underestimated.
By adopting “Tobacco and lung health” as the theme of WNTD 2019, WHO encourages parties to organize campaign to increase the awareness on the negative impact that tobacco has on people’s lung health, from cancer to chronic respiratory disease, and on the fundamental role lungs play for the health and well-being of all people. It also aims to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption and engage stakeholders across multiple sectors in the fight for tobacco control. WHO recommends that:
• Government and communities worldwide should prioritize tobacco control in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of a one-third reduction in noncommunicable diseases premature mortality by 2030.
• Countries should fully implement MPOWER tobacco control measures contained in the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
• Parents and other members of the community should also take measures to promote their own health, and that of their children, by protecting them from the harms caused by tobacco.