World No Tobacco Day

Every year, on 31 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The annual campaign is an opportunity to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

Theme for 2023

The focus of World No Tobacco Day 2023 is on "Grow food, not tobacco".

Tobacco growing harms our health, the health of farmers and the planet’s health. The tobacco industry interferes with attempts to substitute tobacco growing, contributing to the global food crisis.

This campaign encourages governments to end tobacco growing subsidies and use the savings to support farmers to switch to more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition. 

Call to action

• Mobilize governments to end subsidies on tobacco growing and use of savings for crop substitution programmes that support farmers to switch and improve food security and nutrition.
• Raise awareness in tobacco farming communities about the benefits of moving away from tobacco and growing sustainable crops;
• Support efforts to combat desertification and environmental degradation by decreasing tobacco farming;
• Expose industry efforts to obstruct sustainable livelihoods work.

Source : WHO

Tobacco cessation programme of India

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched a toll-free national tobacco Quitline (1800112356) and mCessation services (give a missed call from your mobile to 011 22901701 to receive text-messages towards successful quitting of tobacco). This initiative aims to support tobacco users of all categories who want to quit tobacco use towards successful quitting through constant text messaging on mobile phones.

Source : National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP)