2023 World No Tobacco Day: WHO seeks more measures against cigarette firms

Adeze Ojukwu

On 31 May 2023, World Health Organization(WHO) and public health champions will celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). This year's theme is aptly tagged: “We need food, not tobacco.” This is to buttress the fact that tobacco, contributes significantly to food crises.

Big cigarette companies support tobacco farmers to use hectares of land meant for other viable crops, thus causing food shortages in those communities and countries.

The world needs to understand this: “Tobacco business is really bad business." Ample evidence shows that growing this nicotine-rich plant harms people including, the farmers and the planet.

The tobacco industry interferes with attempts to substitute tobacco growing, contributing to the global food crisis. Join the global campaign against tobacco and save lives.

A statement from WHO, gave more insight into the tremendous harm caused by the tobacco industry.

“The world is confronted with a global food crisis fueled by conflict, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, tobacco is grown in over 124 countries, taking up millions of hectares of fertile land that could be used to grow food, address food security and nutrition challenges and help feed families.”

“Tobacco growing also has serious health impacts on tobacco farmers due to heavy use of pesticides and high absorption of nicotine through the skin.”

Stakeholders and indeed individuals need to join the global campaign against tobacco, in order to save lives and curb food crises.


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