About World No Tobacco Day
On World No Tobacco Day, Health Volunteers participated in a campaign to organize multiple online and offline activities, spreading awareness about the dangers of tobacco use. They shared preventive measures, guided communities in quitting smoking, and dispelled myths and misinformation about tobacco's effects.
World No Tobacco Day is observed on May 31 each year to raise public awareness and understanding about the harmful effects of tobacco use and its devastating health, social, and economic impacts on people around the world. The theme of World No Tobacco Day 2024 — ‘Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference’ — conveys a critical message to shield the younger generation from the manipulative tactics of the tobacco industry. Each day, tobacco use causes thousands of deaths and numerous health issues, contributing to respiratory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular problems. Tobacco is a leading cause of preventable deaths and a major public health challenge globally.
Facts about Tobacco
Here are the global statistics on tobacco use related to youth, along with reference links:
1. Youth Smoking Rates: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 150 million young people aged 13 to 15 worldwide use tobacco. This highlights the urgency of addressing tobacco use among adolescents.
- Source: [WHO Tobacco](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco)
2. Early Onset of Smoking: Research indicates that 90% of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 18. This underscores the importance of preventing youth from starting to use tobacco products.
- Source: [CDC Youth and Tobacco Use](https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/index.htm)
3. Global Death Toll: Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide, responsible for more than 8 million deaths annually. Of these, approximately 1.2 million deaths are the result of non-smokers being exposed to secondhand smoke.
- Source: [WHO Tobacco](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco)
4. Economic Impact: The economic costs of smoking are substantial, including significant healthcare expenses and lost productivity. The total economic cost of smoking is estimated to be more than US$ 1.4 trillion annually, which is equivalent to 1.8% of the world's annual GDP.
- Source: [WHO Global Report on the Tobacco Epidemic 2019](https://www.who.int/tobacco/global_report/en/)
5. Marketing to Youth: The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars annually on advertising and marketing, much of which targets young people. Despite regulations in many countries, the industry's efforts to recruit new, young smokers continue to be a major public health concern.
- Source: [Tobacco Tactics](https://tobaccotactics.org/article/tobacco-industry-targeting-young-people/)
6. Health Consequences for Youth: Smoking during adolescence increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and various forms of cancer later in life. Youth who smoke are also more likely to experience reduced lung function and slower lung growth.
- Source: [National Library of Medicine](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK99242/)
7. Impact of Secondhand Smoke: Nearly half of the world's children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, which results in serious health consequences. Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to many of the same diseases that affect smokers, including respiratory infections and asthma.
- Source: [CDC Secondhand Smoke](https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/secondhand-smoke/index.html)
8. Preventive Measures: Countries that have implemented comprehensive tobacco control measures, such as high tobacco taxes, strong graphic warnings on packaging, bans on advertising, and public smoking bans, have seen significant reductions in tobacco use among youth.
- Source: [WHO MPOWER Measures](https://www.who.int/initiatives/mpower)
About Health Volunteers
Our Health Volunteers are integral pillars of our programs, advocating, observing, and leaving a ripple impact utilizing our Learn, Act, and Engage methodology. Volunteers have the potential to create a sustainable impact on communities and the world when properly engaged. For us, our health volunteers are the most important stakeholders who take action in the field, whether online or offline. They lead the way in sensitizing people and communities, informing individuals on how to stay safe, and promoting preventive measures. Additionally, they support those struggling with tobacco addiction, guiding them on quitting smoking and engaging society in providing social support.
Health Volunteers form a network equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge on diverse public health issues. We aim to combat stigma, myths, and misinformation in society by building the capacities of Health Volunteers with the right, evidence-based information they can disseminate further.
World No Tobacco Day 2024 – Led by Yuvanika Foundation and Health Volunteers
During this World No Tobacco Day 2024 – Led by Yuvanika Foundation and Health Volunteers in the WHO's Campaign. The Yuvanika Foundation spearheaded this campaign, successfully mobilizing over 500 youth volunteers from across India to take action against tobacco. The objectives of the campaign was:
- Sensitizing young people and encouraging them to become anti-tobacco advocates.
- Supporting individuals in the community with resources and advice to quit smoking.
We organized multiple events in the community, including poster-making sessions, street rallies, social media awareness, a pledge to be a Volunteer to #EndTobacco, and one-on-one knowledge-sharing sessions with youth and adolescent kids to educate them about the dangers of tobacco use.
We also extended this knowledge to the parents of the children, helping them understand the harmful effects of tobacco and alleviating any concerns about seeking help if someone is struggling with tobacco addiction.
An impactful orientation session was held for the Health Volunteers, featuring insightful addresses by Dr. Nasreen, Raghuveer, and Rishi Banshiwal. They illuminated the pressing tobacco issue and empowered volunteers with a clear understanding of their crucial role in the mission to #EndTobacco.
We invite more young people to join us as health volunteers and make an impact. Register in our next campaign with us at www.healthvolunteers.in
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"Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in." — Marjorie Moore
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