31 May

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world on 31 May. This annual celebration focuses on the dangers of using tabacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what the World Health Organisation (WHO) is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to protect the right to health and healthy living for themselves and for future generations.

The theme for World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2017, is “Tobacco – a threat to development.” It will propose measures that governments and the public should take to promote health and development by confronting the global tobacco crisis.

According to the WHO:

• nearly 6 million people killed by tobacco each year.

• 600 000 people die each year from exposure to second-hand smoke.

• 63%of all deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases or NCDs, with tobacco as the greatest risk factor.