Tobacco-free day: 50 reasons to quit smoking

Tobacco-free day is celebrated every year on 31 May. It is a day to raise awareness about the dangers and harms of tobacco use on the health, quality of life, material well-being and the environment for the smoker and the people around them. World No Tobacco Day was established in 1987 by the Member States of the “World Health Organisation” to draw attention to the tobacco epidemic and the deaths and preventable diseases it causes.

Quitting smoking is not easy, but the benefits can hardly be described in a few lines. There are many reasons, given in figures and facts by the World Health Organisation. If you are determined to quit smoking, here are a few dozen to help you stay motivated or keep going during the tough times.

1. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people every year.

2. Smokers have a higher risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19 or dying from the disease.

3. Smoking gives you an unpleasant smell on your skin, your fingers, your home, your clothes, not to mention the air you breathe.

4. Tobacco causes yellowing of the teeth and makes it easier for plaque to form.

5. Tobacco use causes cancers of the mouth, lips, pharynx, larynx and oesophagus.

6. Tobacco use increases the risk of chronic inflammatory periodontal disease (CID), which leads to jaw loss and tooth loss.

7. Smokers have a much higher risk of complications after surgical procedures.

8. Smokers are more likely to lose bone density and fracture more easily.

9. Chewing tobacco can cause oral cancer, gum disease, tooth browning and tooth loss.

10. Smoking promotes premature skin ageing. Your skin loses elasticity and dries out, making you look older than you really are.

11. It is estimated that around USD 1.4 trillion is spent annually on health care costs to treat tobacco-related diseases.

12. Smokers are more likely to suffer from infertility. Quitting smoking makes it easier to get pregnant, and reduces the chances of premature births and miscarriages.

13. Smoking can cause erectile dysfunction in men, as well as reduced sperm count, motility.

14. E-cigarette use increases the risk of heart disease and lung problems.

15. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is an addictive substance that can harm children’s developing brains.

16. Smokers are up to 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers. Tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for more than two-thirds of lung cancer deaths worldwide.

17. Smoking increases the risk of psoriasis.

18. Children of smokers suffer from impaired lung function, asthma and middle ear disease, which can lead to hearing impairment.

19. One in five tobacco smokers will develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in their lifetime, especially those who start smoking in childhood and adolescence, as tobacco smoke significantly slows down lung growth and development.

20. Smoking can aggravate asthma, limit people’s activity, contribute to disability and increase the risk of severe asthma attacks.

21. Smokers have twice the risk of stroke and four times the risk of heart disease.

22. Tobacco smoke damages the arteries of the heart, causing plaque build-up and blood clots that restrict blood flow and lead to heart attacks and strokes.

23. Tobacco smoking more than doubles the risk of tuberculosis transforming from a latent to an active state.

34. Every time you smoke a cigarette, toxins and carcinogens – at least 70 cancer-causing chemicals in total – enter your body.

35. Smokers have a higher risk of developing diabetes.

36. Smoking is a risk factor for dementia.

37. Approximately 14% of Alzheimer’s cases worldwide can be attributed to smoking.

38. Women who smoke are more likely to have painful periods and more severe menopausal symptoms.

39. Women who smoke reach menopause 1-4 years earlier because smoking reduces egg formation, leading to a loss of reproductive function and lower oestrogen levels.

40. Tobacco smoke reduces oxygen to the tissues.

41. Tobacco use restricts blood flow, which can lead to gangrene (the death of body tissue), requiring amputation of the affected areas.

42. Smokers are more likely to suffer from gastrointestinal problems such as stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease associated with abdominal cramps, persistent diarrhoea, fever and rectal bleeding, and gastrointestinal cancer.

43. Tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy increases the risk of fetal death.

44. Cigarette butts are one of the most frequently discarded items of litter around the world, and the most common item of litter picked up on beaches and coastlines.

45. Hazardous substances such as arsenic, lead, nicotine and formaldehyde have been detected in cigarette butts that are discarded into the environment and end up in waterways and soil.

46. Currently, most plastic e-cigarette liquid cartridges are disposable, adding to pollution.

47. Tobacco smoke contains three types of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxides.

48. Deforestation for tobacco production has many serious environmental consequences, including loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, water pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.

49. Tobacco smoke leaves a toxic residue that sticks to surfaces such as walls, floors, clothes and furniture and accumulates in house dust. These residues can persist for many years and their effects are harmful, especially to babies and children.

50. Emissions from the tobacco industry are equivalent to 3 million transatlantic flights.

Source: World Health Organisation

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