May 31st: No Tobacco Day
May 31, 2019
Today, May 31st, the World Health Organization and its partners celebrate the World No Tobacco Day, to raise awareness about the strong effects of tobacco use in society. This year, the campaign seeks information about the way lung health is found.
Tobacco use kills 8 million people a year around the world, while exposure to secondhand smoke kills about 1 million people a year. Tobacco is a major obstacle to the lung health of people, and the effects are: lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, air pollution and affectation during the course of life.
There is no safe consumption of these products, therefore, smoking should be a concern in the national agenda in compliance with the health and welfare objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Goal 3 of the SDGs establishes "Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate ". The Framework Convention for the Control of Tobacco (FCTC) is the binding treaty that seeks to reverse the growth of the tobacco epidemic, through a package of price and price measures. Therefore, the United Nations (UN) recognizes, in goal 3.a, that it is necessary to make better efforts in terms of tobacco control for a healthy life and promote social welfare.
Article 6 of the FCTC categorizes taxes as part of the measures necessary to reduce the demand for tobacco. Evidence has shown that, in general, in young people.
Taxes reduce the demand for tobacco in three ways: encourage smokers and stop smoking, prevent new people in the habit and reduce the amount of tobacco by current consumers. Young people tend to respond more quickly to a tax increase, so it does not have to do with the same financial freedom.
When taxes on tobacco are increased, everyone wins: the health authorities, the services associated with smoking in the system; the finance authorities, by obtaining a more significant source of revenue; and society in general, by becoming healthier.
Communities have the right to enjoya healthier life and, without a doubt, tobacco is a obstacle to this right. For this reason, the #NoTobaccoDay is an opportunity to say #YesToTobbacoTaxes