May 31, 2024 – World No Tobacco Day

In 1988, the World Health Organization declared May 31st as the World No Tobacco Day. By celebrating this Day annually, healthcare professionals draw public attention to the health hazards associated with tobacco use.

The global goal of World No Tobacco Day is to promote the protection of current and future generations not only from the devastating health consequences but also from the social, environmental, and economic problems associated with tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death, and currently, according to the WHO, it causes the death of every tenth adult worldwide. Annually, about 6 million people die from the "tobacco epidemic" globally (more than 600,000 of whom, not being smokers, die due to exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke). In 2024, the WHO is holding World No Tobacco Day under the theme "Youth Takes the Lead and Speaks Out".

World No Tobacco Day will provide an opportunity for young people, who are calling for an end to the promotion and marketing of tobacco products worldwide, to speak out. Manufacturers of electronic cigarettes are causing a new wave of addiction among young people. Rates of electronic cigarette use among children in all regions are higher than among adults. It is estimated that 37 million young people aged 13-15 worldwide use tobacco.

No organ suffers from smoking to the same extent as the lungs. One of the first manifestations of intensive smoking is the development of a chronic inflammatory process, culminating in bronchitis. In the mornings, the smoker is tormented by a suffocating cough, accompanied by the expectoration of grayish, dirty brown sputum. With further poisoning of the body by tobacco smoke, more severe respiratory diseases are possible, such as emphysema, bronchial asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Diseases of the lungs and the entire respiratory system lead to the disruption of many other vital functions, and the body begins to experience oxygen deficiency. The resistance of the lungs to various infectious diseases, from ARVI to tuberculosis, is significantly reduced.

The most terrible price for a weakness for cigarettes is cancer. First of all, this is lung cancer, as well as cancer of the lip, larynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, and bladder.

Smoking is responsible for 90% of lung cancer cases. Among patients with this form of cancer, non-smokers account for only 1.5%, and light smokers (up to 10 cigarettes) – about 2%. The number of patients with lung cancer and precancerous lung diseases among smokers who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day is 20 times higher than among non-smokers; for those who smoke 2 packs – already 80 times higher. Lung cancer incidence has sharply increased among women due to the growing number of female smokers. The age of lung cancer patients has significantly decreased – this is due to the early age at which children and adolescents start smoking. The cause of cancer in smokers is the various aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzopyrene and benzanthracene, aniline, pyridine, arsenic, radioactive elements – primarily polonium, as well as radioactive isotopes of lead, bismuth, and potassium, contained in tobacco smoke; cigarette smoke causes genetic damage (alterations in the p53 gene). Everyone should remember this, as thoughtless childhood experiments with cigarettes can be permanently recorded in the genetic memory of cells.

One should not forget about the consequences of using electronic nicotine delivery systems and electronic non-nicotine product delivery systems (ENDS/ENNDS). They represent a heterogeneous class of products powered by a heating element in the form of a coil, which heats a solution to turn it into an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. These systems heat liquid to form aerosols that the user inhales. E-cigarette liquids may or may not contain nicotine (but do not contain tobacco). They also contain additives, flavorings, and chemicals that can be harmful to human health. The health consequences of using vape systems are determined by four factors: 1 – the composition of the solution (e-liquid); 2 – the materials used in the manufacturing of the device; 3 – the electrical power or active power consumed during operation to heat the e-liquid; 4 – the topography or pattern of the user's puffs when using ENDS/ENNDS. When propylene glycol is heated, formaldehyde (formalin) is formed, which is a carcinogen. With systematic exposure to poison, susceptibility to it increases.

When flavorings are heated, diacetyl is released. Inhaling it causes bronchiolar constriction, inflammation, and scarring. It is the cause of "popcorn lung." "Popcorn lung" (obliterative bronchiolitis) is a severe lung disease that affects the bronchioles. This condition leads to increased strain on the heart, respiratory failure, and other bodily impairments. It is important to understand that electronic systems are not an official method for smoking cessation.

Today, smoking is considered an antisocial habit worldwide, and millions of people strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle and quit smoking. However, quitting tobacco can be challenging.

Quitting smoking, even in middle and old age, yields positive results: the risk of smoking-related tumors decreases (by 5% to 15%), as do the risks of heart attacks and strokes.

Know this: smoking is not a physiological need for humans. It is merely a habit that harms health. It is becoming fashionable to be healthy.