Message from Dr Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh
Every year on 31 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners observe World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) with the objective of raising awareness on detrimental effects of tobacco use on health, environment, economy and society; and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. This year, WNTD calls upon tobacco users to ‘Commit to quit’.
The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017 reported that 66% of current tobacco users were planning to quit in Bangladesh. And now, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to millions of tobacco users globally, saying they want to quit. We know that the global targets for tobacco use of “A 30% relative reduction in prevalence of current tobacco use in persons aged 15+ years.” will not be reached unless current tobacco users quit. Also, the benefits of quitting tobacco are almost immediate.
Health-care systems have the primary responsibility for offering cessation service to those who need it. Programs should include tobacco cessation advice incorporated into primary health-care services, easily accessible and free quit lines, and access to low-cost medicines for quitting. All health-care workers should become advocates for tobacco cessation.
For the World No Tobacco Day 2021, a year-long global campaign for - “Commit to Quit” has been launched. The campaign will support at least 100 million people as they try to give up tobacco. “Commit to Quit” will help create environments that are conducive to quitting tobacco by advocating for strong tobacco cessation policies; increasing access to cessation services; raising awareness of tobacco industry tactics, and empowering tobacco users to make successful quit attempts through “quit & win” initiatives.
WHO advocates for and assures of its technical support to the Government to ensure that, people have access to brief advice, toll-free quit lines, mobile and digital cessation services, nicotine replacement therapies and other tools that are proven to help people quit. Strong cessation services improve health, save lives and save money.