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World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day

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World No Tobacco Day observed on 31st May is mainly aimed at highlighting the importance of avoiding tobacco and its associated diseases.

Highlights:
  • The World No Tobacco Day is observed on 31st May every year.
  • This day is ear-marked to highlight the health issues and diseases associated with consuming tobacco and tobacco-containing products.
  • This year’s theme revolves around the heart and risks posed by tobacco to its healthy condition.
World No Tobacco Day observed on 31st May every year, to increase awareness among the public to stop using tobacco and its various products.
World No Tobacco Day basically encourages people to choose life instead of tobacco which is sure to cause various diseases at some point in life.

This year focus is going to be "Tobacco and heart disease.", exploring the link between tobacco and heart and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as stroke.

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How Can Tobacco Affect My Heart?

Smoking cigarettes containing tobacco is one of the most important causes of heart diseases. According to a West Virginia state report, nearly thirty percent of heart disease deaths are caused by cigarette smoking. This is also one of the single most largest preventable cause of heart disease.

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What is it Inside Tobacco that is Harmful to the Heart?

Tobacco smoke has been found to have high amounts of carbon monoxide. This carbon-monoxide is what effects the heart as it reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood cells. Inadequate oxygen to vital organs such as heart can cause a heart attack.

Nicotine use over a long time can cause the heart to beat faster and increase its blood pressure for good and this over a long period of time can cause "wear and tear" on the cardiovascular system.

It is also believed that Cigarette smoking can increase the risk of stroke by increasing certain clotting factors in the blood and damaging the lining of blood vessels.

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How can We Create Awareness About this Day?

Here are few tips to raise public awareness on the issue of tobacco use and its associated diseases.
  • Educate people about the tobacco use and its associated diseases.
  • Engage in anti-tobacco mass media campaigns that inform public of the harm that comes with tobacco.
  • To prevent second-hand smoking exposure, try creating smoke-free indoor public places
  • Monitor tobacco use and it’s prevention policies
  • Offer help to people to quit tobacco

Facts on Tobacco Use

  • Tobacco use is considered to be one of the biggest public health threats as every year it kills more than 7 million people in the world and in those nearly 890 000 deaths are because of second-hand smoke exposure.
  • There are around 4000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, of which nearly 250 are known to be harmful, and more than 50 are well known to cause cancer.
  • There is no guaranteed safe level for second-hand tobacco smoke exposure
  • Second-hand smoke can also cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer.
  • Tobacco use is currently only being monitored by 1 in 3 countries, representing only 39% of the world's population.
Let's join hands and decrease the use of tobacco in the world and prevent our fellow citizens from dying of a habit.

References:
  1. World No Tobacco Day - (http://www.who.int/campaigns/no-tobacco-day/2018/event/en/)
  2. Key facts on Tobacco - (http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco)
  3. Tobacco and CVD - (http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/cvd/page1.htm)

Source-Medindia


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