World No Tobacco Day takes place on May 31, 2022. Launched by the WHO in 1987, this awareness campaign aims to highlight the health risks of tobacco and support smokers in their cessation. Date, numbers, theme of the year, posters, actions…
[Mis à jour le 12 avril 2022 à 12h36] In France, each May 31st is devoted to world no tobacco day. this year is Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Smoking is the second leading cause of death in the world with more than 6 million deaths per yearof which more than 600,000 are non-smokers, reports national education in March 2022. Almost half of children in public places regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke. In France, the number of smokers is estimated at more than 10 million people. Among them, 34.6% are men and 26.5% are women. Moreover, the pandemic has caused millions of tobacco users to want to quit smoking. No Tobacco Day is the perfect opportunity to start quitting. What is the origin of this initiative? The theme of the year? The actions implemented? Focus.
History: what is the origin of World No Tobacco Day?
This Day was instituted by the Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987 under the name of “World No Tobacco Day” (or World No Tobacco Day in French).
What is the date of World No Tobacco Day 2022 in France?
This year, World No Tobacco Day takes place on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Not to be confused with the Month without Tobacco which takes place every November in France.
What is the theme of World No Tobacco Day 2022?
The tobacco industry contributes to climate change and undermines resilience to these changes, wastes resources and damages ecosystems.
The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2022 is “tobacco: a threat to our environment“. “With greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 84 megatonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the tobacco industry contributes to climate change and undermines resilience to these changes, wastes resources and damages ecosystems. Every year, around 3.5 million hectares of land are being destroyed to grow tobacco. Tobacco cultivation contributes to deforestation”, explains theWHO. This campaign therefore aims on the one hand to provide smokers with an additional reason to stop their consumption, but also to report on the strategies put in place by the tobacco industry to “green” its image, its reputation, and its products, seeking to pass itself off as a responsible player concerned with the environment and sustainable development. It must contribute to the establishment of healthier environments, conducive to smoking cessation, by:
- advocating for strict smoking cessation policies
- promoting expanded access to withdrawal services
- exposing tobacco industry tactics
- enabling smokers to succeed in quitting, through “Winning to Quit” initiatives.
No Tobacco Day 2022 posters
What are the actions in 2022?
In this sense, the WHO provides smokers with the tools and resources they need to successfully quit. From May 31 to June 30, 2022, Public Health France supports and amplifies the tobacco denormalization movement, already in progress in France, in particular thanks to the support of the Fund for the fight against addiction. “Through this campaign, Public Health France reaffirms its desire to make the fight against smoking a priority. Without making smokers feel guilty, she shows that a life without tobacco is not only possible, but that quitting smoking is a positive decision associated with many benefits.“, explains Viêt Nguyen-Thanh, head of the Addictions Unit at Public Health France. This campaign is available in:
- a television spot of 30 seconds divided into 3 videos of 10 seconds and broadcast on television, on replay services on mobiles, tablets and computers.
- a poster campaign for public space (paper or digitized)
- a digital campaign with web banners and on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter),
- a special operation in the written and digital press to highlight life without tobacco by testimonials from ex-smokers.
- New identity for Tabac Info Service: the quitting information and assistance system, which answers all questions about smoking and quitting, was revamped this year. It also continues to offer free personalized support, provided by tobacco specialists who can be reached on 39 89, on the website, on Facebook or on the application of the same name, designed by Health Insurance.
Sources: World No Tobacco Day, May 31, 2022, Education.gouv / Protect the environment: World No Tobacco Day 2022 will give you one more reason to quit, WHO, December 13, 2021