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Five Trillion Cigarettes - The Tobacco Epidemic

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Dixie Swenson

Jun 14, 2022

Philippines

Categories:

Health, Disease, Fitness, Prevention

According to Vital Strategies, a global public health organization, people smoke nearly 5 trillion cigarettes yearly. The Tobacco Epidemic contributes to more than 8 million deaths and almost US $2 trillion in economic damage. In China, about half the population (48%) smoke cigarettes. There is some good news. The number of smokers in the United States of America declined from 20.9% in 2005 to 12.5% of the people in 2020.


World No Tobacco Day is a program of the World Health Organization aimed at reducing the scourge of tobacco use worldwide. A publication from the Department of Health, Republic of the Philippines, June 2, 2021, focuses on the 23% of the population of that country's population that still smokes.


The World No Tobacco Day celebration in the Philippines in 2021 included a national Department of Health symposium outlining the progress and the remaining work to be done. The government estimated that 110,000 Filipinos die each year due to illnesses and complications caused by tobacco smoke. The symposium concluded with the official launch of the SmokeFree Virtual Challenge 2021 in partnership with Vital Strategies. The challenge encourages smokers and non-smokers to join the cause by participating in a physical activity they enjoy. Participants take pictures or videos of themselves and then post them on social media with hashtags #SmokeFreeVirtualChallenge and #CoopToQuit.


"The SmokeFree Virtual Challenge aims to help smokers develop a routine that they can do every day to commit to quit and at the same time support implementation and advancement of smoke-free policies locally," said Mr. Kaloi Garcia of Vital Strategies.


The health damage caused by smoking is tremendous; almost everyone has some experience with a loved one who is sick or died from smoking-related illnesses. The loss of lives is tragic and preventable. The Tobacco Epidemic is a worldwide health problem, but progress is happening. Australia, Canada, and Saudi Arabia have restricted packaging and strict laws where someone can or cannot smoke in public. There are now smoking bans in five countries in the world: Bhutan, Costa Rica, Columbia, Uruguay, and Malaysia.


Consider a SmokeFree Virtual Challenge in your community. Discuss it with your local government and healthcare organizations. Have school children participate too. Get the word out to local organizations and assess the support to create more smoke-free places in your hometown. Many local governments have the power to enact laws to curb smoking and its effects. Decide what works for your community and make a difference for our future generations. Change can happen, and it starts with each of us.


Visit Vital Strategies at the URL below to learn more and view their Tobacco Atlas.

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Catalog #:

0522.107.01.061422

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