World No Tobacco Day 2022
Next Tuesday marks the latest World No Tobacco Day, an annual celebration which aims to inform the public about the dangers of using tobacco and raise awareness about the practices of the tobacco industry.Â
Launched in 1987, World No Tobacco Day was set up by the Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) after tobacco’s impact on public health had reached epidemic proportions.
Since being set up, despite the rate of smokers falling globally year on year, the event still takes place annually at the end of May in an effort to drive the number of people using tobacco products even lower.
This Year’s Focus
Every year the annual awareness day chooses to focus its attention on a specific area, and this year World Tobacco Day has opted to shine a light on the environmental destruction the industry leaves in its wake.
The initiative looks to focus on four key areas, including:
- Damage caused to the environment by tobacco
- Tobacco industry taking more responsibility over damage being done
- Sustainable tobacco farming
- Supporting people to quit to save their health and the health of the planet
Environmental DestructionÂ
According to the WHO, the tobacco industry creates 84 megawatts of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas every year, causing widespread global climate change, upsetting the planet’s climate balance, wasting environmental resources and damaging ecosystems.
Cigarette butts are also the most abundant type of plastic waste in the world, producing 767,000 kilograms of toxic waste annually, which is the equivalent weight of over 60 double decker buses! So with society starting to pay more attention to the damage mankind is doing to the planet it’s clear the tobacco industry is contributing heavily to that destruction.Â
Tobacco Industry’s Negligence
Tobacco farming wreaks havoc on the environment in a number of ways. Not only do the plants require massive amounts of water but the tobacco industry is also responsible for large scale deforestation, as well as the contamination of air and water systems.
The WHO says the tobacco industry is profiteering from the destruction of the environment and must be held accountable for its actions. In addition, it says tobacco companies should also be forced to pay for the damages caused, including the costs incurred for cleaning up/collecting the waste.
Sustainable Tobacco Farming
One way to help reduce the ecological harm being caused by the growing of tobacco plants is to promote sustainable farming. When sustainable farming is implemented, this helps to drive standards in agricultural practices while placing a larger emphasis on environmental management.Â
For World No Tobacco Day, the WHO has called on governments and policy makers to support tobacco farmers to switch to alternative, more sustainable methods to reduce the environmental impact of tobacco growing.
Supporting People to Quit Smoking
When it comes to the destruction tobacco has on the environment, the most important area to focus on is encouraging and supporting smokers to quit. After all, supply is always driven by demand so if everybody quit smoking tomorrow then there’d be no need to grow tobacco any longer!
World No Smoking Day aims to raise awareness about the health consequences of smoking in an effort to inspire as many people as possible to give up the destructive habit.
How Vaping Can Help You Quit Tobacco ProductsÂ
If you’re a smoker and you’re ready to make an effort to quit, it’s important to believe in yourself. Perseverance is key, and with a bit of willpower you can do it! That’s not to say it won’t be a struggle – quitting smoking is hard, which makes getting a helping hand all the more important.
That’s where nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products come in. NRTs mean you can still get the nicotine you crave – but without many of the cancer-causing, health-destroying chemicals that come with tobacco.
There are numerous NRTs on the market, but while some people swear by nicotine patches and gum, if you want to give yourself the best chances of success with your quit attempt then there’s really only one choice: an e-cigarette.
That’s because studies have shown that vaping is twice as effective as other stop-smoking aids, so when we compare NRTs it’s clear e-cigs are head and shoulders above the competition.Â
Although vaping is not completely risk-free, according to Public Health England e-cigarettes are at least 95% safer than smoking, making them a great alternative if you need a helping hand in finally overcoming your smoking habit.
Useful Tips for Using an E-Cig to Quit Smoking
There are a few other things that could help when you’re attempting to quit smoking with vaping.
- When you first get started, consider switching between smoking and vaping and gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke, increasing the amount you vape until you’ve eventually weaned yourself completely off tobacco products.
- For those of you who liked menthol cigarettes in the past, it might be a good idea to pick up a menthol flavoured E-liquid.
- Remember it’s okay to slip up every now and then. Quitting smoking can be a long and difficult process for some. Relapses are common, but as long as you don’t give up straight away your cravings should subside soon enough.
If you’re interested in vaping to help you quit smoking then head over to our vape kits where you’ll find a wide range of e-cigarettes to choose from. These range from starter kits perfect for beginners, right through to our more advanced kits that are better-suited to those with a bit more experience.
We also have a massive selection of e-liquid to choose from, so if you’re keen to see what all the fuss is about then why not take a look at our Getting Started guide where you’ll find all the info you need.