INDIA: The annual World No Tobacco Day campaign (May 31) provides an opportunity to raise awareness about tobacco’s hazardous and lethal consequences.
World No Tobacco Day – The 2022 global campaign aims to highlight environmental impact of the tobacco cycle.
This annual event educates the public on the harms of smoking, tobacco firms’ business methods, what the WHO is doing to combat the tobacco pandemic, and what people all over the globe can do to assert their right to health and a healthy lifestyle while also protecting future generations.
The tobacco industry’s negative impact on the environment is extensive and expanding, putting undue strain on our planet’s already limited resources and vulnerable ecosystems.
Through the cultivation, production, distribution, consumption, and post-consumer waste, tobacco kills approximately 8 million people each year and devastates our ecosystem, further damaging human health.
Help tobacco farmers switch to sustainable farming
To lessen the environmental impact of tobacco cultivation, curing, and manufacturing, governments and policymakers should assist tobacco farmers in switching to alternate, more sustainable livelihoods while continuing to pursue tobacco control measures.
The tobacco industry profits from the degradation of the environment, and it must be held accountable for this harm and made to pay for the waste and damages, including the costs of collection.
The tobacco industry contributes to climate change and diminishes climate resilience, wasting resources and harming ecosystems, with an annual greenhouse gas contribution of 84 megatons carbon dioxide equivalent.
Every year, over 3.5 million hectares of land are razed for tobacco production. Tobacco cultivation contributes to deforestation, particularly in underdeveloped countries.
Tobacco plantation deforestation causes soil deterioration and “failed yields,” or the land’s ability to support the growth of any other crops or plants.
Tobacco consumption reduction must be recognised as a crucial lever for attaining all of the Sustainable Development Goals, not just the health-related ones.
Tobacco consumption continues to be the leading cause of preventable cancer. On this #WorldNoTobaccoDay let’s join hands to spread awareness about harmful effects of tobacco and help the people around you quit and create a tobacco-free generation.
Millions of tobacco users have expressed their desire to quit tobacco consumption. Now it’s your turn. Make a decision to quit today and protect your planet.
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