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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
World No Tobacco Day: Theme, significance, history & facts you need to know
Maybe it's the first thing in the morning, or during a midday slump, or after a stressful call—your hand reaches for a cigarette. 'It's just one,' you say. But is it? And what is that one cigarette really doing to your future? This World No Tobacco Day 2025, it's time to cut through the noise. Established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987, the day aims to spotlight the dangers of tobacco and advocate for prevention and quitting. Why May 31 is World No Tobacco Day The WHO's World Health Assembly designated May 31 as World No Tobacco Day through Resolution WHA42.19 in 1988. The fixed date provides a global rallying point for public health efforts against tobacco use. What is the significance of World No Tobacco Day? World No Tobacco Day serves as a powerful global reminder to: Educate the public on health risks tied to tobacco and nicotine products Expose tactics used by the tobacco industry to lure users, especially youth Promote policies like tobacco taxes, plain packaging, and public bans Support smokers in quitting with resources and campaigns Theme for 2025: 'Bright products. Dark intentions' This year's theme—'Bright products. Dark intentions. Unmasking the Appeal'—targets the growing youth-focused strategies of the tobacco industry. According to WHO, these companies actively manipulate young consumers through product design and marketing. 'Every day, the tobacco and nicotine industries use carefully engineered products and deceptive tactics to hook a new generation of users,' warns WHO. How the industry targets young people The WHO highlights several tactics designed to entice youth: Flavours: Over 16,000 sweet or fruity flavours hide tobacco's harshness Social media marketing: Influencer partnerships glamorise vaping culture Design: Sleek, tech-inspired gadgets make vaping feel modern and stylish Stark facts: the global impact of tobacco Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide: Over 8 million deaths annually—7 million from direct use, 1.3 million from passive exposure 37 million adolescents (aged 13–15) currently use tobacco products E-cigarette content has amassed over 3.4 billion views on social media Tobacco-related health costs and productivity losses exceed $1.4 trillion per year globally What tobacco does to your body and mind Nicotine hijacks your brain's reward system. Doctors warn it delivers a temporary dopamine hit, followed by irritability and fatigue—pulling you into a cycle of dependence. Long-term effects include: Memory and focus issues Sleep disruption Anxiety and depression Premature skin and organ aging Lung diseases Heart diseases If you want better energy, sharper focus, and long-term health—know this: tobacco isn't helping. It's holding you back. This May 31, choose to break the cycle. For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS
NDTV
2 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
World No Tobacco Day 2025: Date, History, Theme And All You Need To Know
World No Tobacco Day 2025: To draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable deaths and diseases it causes, World No Tobacco Day is observed every year on May 31. Tobacco products expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and despite being extremely harmful, the product is consumed worldwide. As per official data, tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, including an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke. History of World No Tobacco Day World No Tobacco Day was first incorporated in 1987 by the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO). The World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38, calling for April 7, 1988 to be a "a world no-smoking day." In 1988, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed, calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on May 31. Theme of World No Tobacco Day This year's theme for World No Tobacco Day is: "Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products,' which aims to focus on exposing the tactics that the tobacco and nicotine enterprises employ to make their harmful products seem attractive. WHO has focused its attention on flavoured tobacco products that companies have been selling to children. As per the UN agency, flavours are often cited as the number one reason for initiation of nicotine and tobacco product use. 'Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. 'They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.' Significance of World No Tobacco Day With tobacco responsible for millions of deaths every year and causing health issues to a significantly larger population, the day is a stark reminder that there is a long battle against the harmful product. Raising awareness helps individuals understand the consequences of using tobacco products and empowers them to make informed decisions. The day also highlights the work done by health organisations and helps them push for stricter and stronger tobacco control policies. To those addicted to tobacco, the day is a reminder that the best time to quit the product is today,
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
A healthier world through Taiwan's proven healthcare model
LETTERS Health is a fundamental human right and a universal value. Improved health results in greater well-being for the people and has ramifications for the survival and development of a country and even the world. At the 77th World Health Assembly, members adopted the World Health Organisation (WHO) Fourteenth General Programme of Work for 2025-2028. The programme includes such strategic objectives as improving health service coverage and bolstering financial protections to ensure universal health coverage. WHO has called on all countries to take action on these issues. As concerns rise over universal health coverage, Taiwan launched the National Health Insurance (NHI) system in 1995. The scheme, which brought together already existing occupational insurance schemes, has reached its 30th year and now covers 99.9 per cent of the population. The NHI system provides equitable, accessible, and efficient healthcare to all people in Taiwan. It is also an important pillar and guarantor of Taiwan's social stability as well as people's health and safety. It has, moreover, become a global benchmark for achieving universal health coverage. In an annual survey carried out by Numbeo, Taiwan has been ranked first in the Health Care Index category for seven consecutive years. The NHI operates on a pay-as-you-go, self-sustaining model capable of addressing the financial challenges posed by an ageing population and rising healthcare costs. By reforming premium rates and adding additional funding sources, such as the tobacco health and welfare surcharge, the system is on a sound, sustainable footing. To promote the health of our people, President Lai Ching-te articulated a vision of a healthy Taiwan in 2024. This aims to ensure that people are healthy, the nation is strong, and the world is more ready to embrace Taiwan. Remaining focused on people, families, and communities, we are expanding health promotion operations and preventive healthcare. Moreover, we are implementing a family physician plan, offering comprehensive care to patients with chronic diseases, and utilising telemedicine to improve healthcare accessibility in rural areas. By promoting integrated long-term care, palliative care, and ageing in place, we ensure holistic, lifelong, and dignified care for all people, realising health equity. In 2021, WHO released the Global Strategy on Digital Health for 2020-2025. Under this plan, the global health body is seeking the development and adoption of person-centric digital health solutions to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious diseases. It is also overseeing development of infrastructure and applications to use health data to promote health and well-being. Taiwan continues to utilise its prowess in information and communications technology to build effective, high-ROI health systems and services. The NHI cloud facilitates the more efficient exchange of medical records, while the adoption of international standards such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources enhances international medical data sharing. Additionally, the incorporation of AI-assisted technologies is advancing the development of smart healthcare. And the introduction of a virtual health insurance card and the My Health Bank app, which enables real-time management of personal health data, empowers people to make health-enabling choices. In 2008, Taiwan introduced the Health Technology Assessment to facilitate evidence-based policymaking. It also accelerated the inclusion of new treatments under the NHI system. For example, in 2023, gene and cell therapies were covered for the first time, marking a new era for precision medicine and offering patients enhanced treatment options. Taiwan also continues to leverage innovative technologies to improve the working environment for the medical workforce and to bolster the overall quality of medical service. What's more, despite facing political challenges, Taiwan has continuously participated in international health affairs and has been dedicated to supporting the global health system. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Taiwan played a crucial role in sharing supplies, strategies, and experiences, and proved to be a reliable partner of countries worldwide. Separately, Taiwan's success story in implementing universal health coverage offers valuable lessons for countries worldwide. As we continue to share our experiences in universal coverage, financial management, and digital health, we hope to facilitate other nations in reaching WHO's goal of universal health coverage. In this rapidly changing era, health challenges transcend borders, and global cooperation has become essential to addressing various health crises. However, Taiwan has been prevented from participating in WHO—the foremost global health cooperation body—due to China's continued distortion of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and World Health Assembly Resolution 25.1. Neither of these resolutions mentions Taiwan or declares that Taiwan is part of the People's Republic of China. Therefore, these resolutions have no power to confer upon the PRC any right to represent Taiwan in WHO. In light of this, and to uphold the core UN values of inclusiveness and universality, we urge WHO and all relevant parties to recognise Taiwan's considerable contributions to global public health and the human right to health. It is imperative that WHO adopt a more open-minded approach and demonstrate flexibility, adhering to the principles of professionalism and inclusivity. Taiwan should be included, as a matter of pragmatism, in the World Health Assembly and all WHO meetings, activities, and mechanisms, particularly those concerned with the WHO pandemic agreement. Taiwan earnestly hopes to work with the international community to create a future of borderless healthcare that realises the fundamental human right to health stipulated in the WHO Constitution and the vision of leaving no one behind espoused in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Axios
4 days ago
- Health
- Axios
China looks to grow its influence over WHO
China is becoming a top donor country to WHO after promising this month that it'll make a $500 million gift over five years to the group. Why it matters: President Trump announced in January that he's pulling the United States out of WHO, leaving a power vacuum within the global health consortium that Beijing is trying to fill. State of play: A Chinese official announced the financial pledge at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, last week, saying it would help fight the impact of "power politics" on global health security, Reuters reported. This is the first time the United States hasn't attended the assembly. Trump is ending U.S. participation in WHO largely because of how it handled the COVID-19 pandemic and charges that it's beholden to China. The executive order pulling the U.S. out of WHO also explicitly mentions that China pays significantly less to the organization. Yes, but: China's donation works out to far less per year than the United States' $481 million contribution to WHO in fiscal year 2023. "I don't think China is going to be able to buy influence at WHO," said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown. "I just can't see that happening. And I think that its contribution will be short-term and marginal." It's not clear whether the funds would be earmarked for specific priorities, or if they include China's required WHO member-nation dues. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. referred Axios to China's permanent mission to the United Nations at Geneva for questions. The mission did not immediately respond. Zoom out: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on social media Tuesday that, together with Argentina, he was exploring an "alternative international health system based on gold-standard science and free from totalitarian impulses, corruption, and political control."
Scoop
4 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Pandemics To Pollution: WHO Assembly Delivers Landmark Health Decisions
28 May 2025 In addition, the Assembly endorsed a wide range of measures to promote health equity, reduce air pollution, and strengthen protections for vulnerable populations. ' The words 'historic' and 'landmark' are overused, but they are perfectly apt to describe this year's World Health Assembly,' WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the Assembly's closing, ending nine days of intense debate and decisions. The centrepiece of the Assembly's outcomes was the WHO Pandemic Agreement, adopted on 20 May after more than three years of negotiations. The agreement, seen as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve global preparedness and response to future pandemics, aims to strengthen international coordination, enhance equity in access to medical tools and ensure that no country is left behind in future health crises. A key next step will be consultations on access to pathogen and benefit-sharing, which seeks to guarantee equitable sharing of medical countermeasures derived from pathogens. Boost for WHO budget Another major outcome was the approval of a 20 per cent increase in assessed contributions – the core, mandatory funding from Member States that underpins WHO's work. By 2030-2031, these contributions will cover 50 per cent of the agency's core budget, a crucial step toward financial sustainability. Health leaders also pledged at least $210 million to WHO's ongoing Investment Round, adding to the $1.7 billion already raised and expanding the agency's donor base. A healthier world The Assembly also delivered a sweeping slate of resolutions addressing a wide range of health challenges. For the first time, nations adopted global resolutions on lung and kidney health, aligning with the growing recognition of noncommunicable diseases as a global priority. Countries also set an ambitious new target to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040 and in an innovative move, adopted a resolution on social connection, acknowledging mounting evidence linking social isolation to poor health outcomes. They also endorsed measures to combat the digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods, and addressed rare diseases, a lead-free future and the eradication of Guinea worm disease. History is made In conclusion, Director-General Tedros urged countries to continue the momentum beyond the Assembly, highlighting the spirit of cooperation and commitment to health for all. ' You, the nations of the world, made history,' he said. 'Yes, there is conflict in our world, but you have shown that there is also cooperation. Yes, there is inequity, but you have shown a commitment to equity. Yes, there is disease, but you have shown a commitment to health – health for all.'
