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 2024

The focus of World No Tobacco Day 2024 is on "Youth step in and speak out".

World No Tobacco Day 2024 will give a platform to young people across the world, who are urging governments to shield them from predatory tobacco marketing tactics. The industry targets youth for a lifetime of profits, creating a new wave of addiction. Children are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults in all regions and globally an estimated 37 million youth aged 13–15 years use tobacco. 

There are 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. That number would be even larger if tobacco didn’t kill half of its users. Every four seconds, tobacco takes another life. Decades of the tobacco industry’s deception and devious tactics have hooked generations of users to nicotine and tobacco, driving this global epidemic. The multi-billion-dollar industry recruits new tobacco and nicotine users to reward investors with as much profit as possible and keep its business alive. Tobacco and related industries have increasingly preyed on children and adolescents, employing advertising tactics and targeting them directly with a new portfolio of products that threaten their health. These industries are moving at a rapid speed to launch existing and new products and use every means to expand their market share before regulations can catch up with them. Tobacco and related industries continue to oppose evidence-based measures, such as increases in excise taxes and comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and have threatened legal actions against governments that try to protect the health of their citizens.

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.

Possession of e-cigarettes and similar devices in any form, quantity or manner is in violation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarette Act (PECA) 2019.  The Health ministry has launched an online portal to facilitate reporting of violations under PECA. This portal allows the ministry to take necessary action on violations. Anyone can report these violations at "Portal to Report Violations of Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 and Cigarettes and Other Products Act, 2003 over Online Medium".

Source : National Tobacco Control Programme(NTCP)