2018 World No Tobacco Day to fight cardiovascular diseases
On May 31 of each year, the World Health Organization organizes a World No Tobacco Day. The goal? To encourage smokers to quit smoking by reminding them of the health risks. With this event, the institution hopes to raise awareness.
The WHO has just revealed the theme of 2018: heart health. This theme should open many people’s eyes who think the risks of smoking are primarily related to cancer. In fact, smoking is the second leading cause of coronary heart disease. It is also the second leading cause of strokes.
During 2018’s World No Tobacco Day, several strategies will be put in place around the world. Notably, “Global Hearts” and “RESOLVE” will be working to improve the ways we treat heart disease. These initiatives are primarily concerned with prevention and are focused on emphasizing the importance of a health lifestyle.
A tobacco-free day for a cigarette-free future
2018’s World No Tobacco Day will be an opportunity for WHO to encourage countries to implement its MPOWER plan. The M stands for “monitor” and aims to push governments to better monitor tobacco consumption. P stands for “protect” and focuses on second-handing smoking, which kills about 12% of non-smokers every year. The O stands for “offer” and is for smokers interested in quitting. As for the W, it stands for “warn,” warning people about the dangers of cigarettes. The E stands for “enforce” and is focused on banning tobacco advertising. Finally, the R stands for “raise” and is focused on increasing tobacco taxes in hopes of lowering consumption rates of traditional cigarettes.
It is unfortunate that the letter V for “vape” is not part of the acronym. The campaign, however, remains an opportunity to advocate for e-cigarettes as an effective way to quit smoking.
