Today, being the 31st Day of May 2024, the United Nations Association of Nigeria (UNAN) joins the international community to mark the “World No Tobacco Day” and pledge our full support to curb in its entirety the use of this harmful substance in humans.
An initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) to educate the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.
This year’s theme “Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference” is an outstanding one as it targets the most vulnerable group.
Some glaring facts about Tobacco according to WHO earmarks the importance of celebrating this day, ensuring that the right messages of the negative effects of tobacco, cascades down to the grassroot and most especially amongst children. These facts are as follows:
- There are 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. Tobacco kills around 8 million people every year (more than 7 million active smokers and over 1 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke), including 1 million in the The life expectancy of smokers is at least ten years less than that of nonsmokers.
- Tobacco is the only legal consumer product that kills up to half of its users when used exactly as intended by the manufacturer. Tobacco companies spent over 8 billion dollars on marketing and
- Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes at least double their chance of smoking cigarettes later in life.
People who do not smoke but inhale smokes from smokers are known as secondary smokers and are also at risk from tobacco effects. Reports shows that at least 500 million people younger than 15 in 21 countries are exposed to secondary smoke.
Everyone starting from individuals who influence youth directly, in our communities, states and Nation as a whole, can help prevent children, teenagers, and young adults from trying and using tobacco products.
The United Nations Association of Nigeria (UNAN) therefore calls on all stakeholders in Nigeria:
- To initiate programs geared towards curbing tobacco use amongst children and to discourage intending use of the substance.
- To create a sustained awareness raising activities within schools and through all social media
- To engage in advocacy to limit advertisement of harmful products by tobacco
If indeed everyone works together to keep youths safe from the harms of tobacco use, we can move further toward a healthier, smoke free world.