World No Tobacco Day --- May 31, 2011

World No Tobacco Day --- May 31, 2011
World No Tobacco Day --- May 31, 2011
Weekly
May 27, 2011 / 60(20);645




Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death; this year approximately 5 million persons worldwide will die from tobacco-related heart attacks, strokes, cancers, and other diseases (1). Sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), World No Tobacco Day is observed every year on May 31.

This year, World No Tobacco Day highlights the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) (1). Adopted as a resolution at WHO's 1996 World Health Assembly, WHO FCTC took effect in 2005 and is maintained by the United Nations. A total of 172 countries have adopted the treaty (2), making WHO FCTC one of the most widely embraced evidence-based treaties in United Nations history.

WHO FCTC urges all countries to ratify the treaty, fully implement its provisions, and adopt its guidelines (1), and WHO provides country-level assistance for implementing effective tobacco control measures (3). CDC has supported this effort by working with partners to provide technical assistance and infrastructure support for the creation of sustainable surveillance systems (the Global Adult Tobacco Survey and the Global Youth Tobacco Survey). Additional information is available at http://www.who.int/fctc/en/index.html.

References

1.World Health Organization. WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011. Available at
http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2011/announcement/en/index.html. Accessed May 19, 2011.
2.World Health Organization. Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011. Available at http://www.who.int/fctc/signatories_parties/en/index.html. Accessed May 19, 2011.
3.World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2008: the MPOWER package. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011. Available at http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/2008/en/index.html. Accessed May 19, 2011.

full-text:
World No Tobacco Day --- May 31, 2011