In 2020, millions of smokers around the world decided to quit because of Covid-19. Some people wanted to kick the habit because of health problems and Covid-19 comorbidities caused by smoking, others because they were having economic difficulties due to the pandemic. To help smokers give up, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a year-long global campaign connected to World No Tobacco Day on May 31st, 2021, themed “Commit to quit”.
Every year, more than eight million people worldwide die from tobacco-related causes. Among these people, 1.2 million die from passive smoking, more than half of which are children. Smoking can lead to addiction, debilitating health conditions, or cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and 20 different types of cancer.
Every year people around the world spend around USD 1.4 trillion (1.8 per cent of global GDP) on buying cigarettes. This expenditure indirectly affects the economy of developing countries like Vietnam, which account for more than 40 per cent of the money spent on tobacco.
In response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31st and National Non-smoking Week from May 25th to 31st, 2021, FV will continue to communicate that we are a no-smoking hospital, and the reasons why. Simultaneously, as part of our commitment to caring for our community’s health, FV will mark this event by sharing educational materials to patients and staff regarding the harmful effects smoking tobacco has on the body.
For many, quitting smoking is a tough challenge, especially given the global economic stress the pandemic. However, in the short time since the “Commit to quit” campaign was launched, the WHO estimates that around 780 million people around the world have said they want to quit. Thirty per cent of these people now have access to tools and instructions that will help them to quit smoking, thanks to the campaign.
Millions of people worldwide have stopped smoking. Let’s seize this opportunity and call on everyone to change their lives by quitting smoking today!
For more information on the harmful effects of smoking, please visit:
https://www.fvhospital.com/learn-more/how-smoking-and-nicotine-damage-your-body/
