World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is annually observed across the globe on May 31 to raise global awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
- The annual observance of WNTD is observed by Geneva (Switzerland) based World Health Organization (WHO).
2025 Theme:
The 2025 WNTD theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products,” focuses on revealing how the tobacco and nicotine industries engineer products and deploy deceptive marketing to target youth.
Background:
i.The Member States of WHO established World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to spread awareness about preventable diseases and deaths caused by tobacco.
ii.In 1987, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted Resolution WHA40.38, designating 7 April 1988 as the first “World No-Smoking Day”
iii.Subsequently, in 1988, the WHA passed Resolution WHA42.19, declaring that World No Tobacco Day would be observed annually on 31 May.
WHO’s “Stop the Lies” Campaign:
In November 2023, WHO launched the “Stop the Lies” campaign to protect youth by exposing how tobacco companies mislead the public and interfere with health policies to promote harmful products.
About Tobacco:
i.Tobacco is a plant (Nicotiana tabacum) whose leaves are processed and consumed in various forms, including cigarettes, hookah, cigars, e-cigarettes etc.,
ii.It contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance, along with 7,000+ chemicals, including 70 known carcinogens like benzene, formaldehyde, and arsenic.
Health Risks of Tobacco Use:
Tobacco is a leading cause of preventable deaths globally, linked to
i.Lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, and cervical cancers.
ii.Heart attacks, strokes, and hypertension due to artery damage.
iii.Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
Global Tobacco Use Statistics:
i.Tobacco is a leading risk factor for cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic lung conditions.
ii.It causes over 8 million deaths annually worldwide, including:
- 7 million deaths from direct tobacco use.
- 1.3 million deaths from second-hand smoke exposure
iii.An estimated 37 million children aged 13–15 years globally use tobacco.
Tobacco Crisis in India:
i.India is the second–largest global tobacco producer after China, with major cultivation in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat
ii.253 million tobacco users (second-highest globally), contributing to around 1.35 million annual deaths
iii.8.5% of youth (13–15 years) are current tobacco users, with lip and oral cancers dominating tobacco-related malignancies
WNTD 2025 Awards:
WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presented the 2025 WNTD Awards to individuals and organizations from each of the six WHO regions in recognition of their outstanding contributions to tobacco control.
- Winners included the State Tobacco Control Cell, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, India, under the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) category.
Click here for the complete list of winners of WNTD 2025 awards
About World Health Organization (WHO):
Director General (DG) – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Founded – 1948
