Every year, the 31 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and many partners around the world mark World No Tobacco Day. This day is the occasion of an annual campaign which aims to raise awareness of "the harmful and fatal effects" of exposure to smoking or second-hand smoke and to encourage people to quit " the consumption of tobacco in any form whatsoever ". This year, WHO focuses its day on " tobacco and lung health ».
PULMONARY HEALTH IN THE HONOR, THE ABSENT E-CIGARETTE!
It is clear that once again the e-cigarette will not be part of the next " World No Tobacco Day“, But should we be surprised? Not really ! So let's talk about the themes that will be discussed.
2019 World No Tobacco Day will focus on the many impacts of tobacco exposure on lung health around the world. There is lung cancer. " Tobacco smoke is the leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible for two-thirds of all deaths from this disease worldwidereminds WHO. Involuntary exposure to other people's smoke, at home or in the workplace, also increases the risk of lung cancer. Stopping smoking can reduce the risk of cancer: 10 years after this stop, it decreases by about half compared to a smoker ».
There are, of course, chronic respiratory diseases. Smoking is the leading cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition in which the lump of mucus filled with pus in the lungs causes painful coughing and particularly severe breathing difficulties. The risk of developing COPD is particularly high for people who start smoking young, as tobacco smoke significantly slows lung development. Tobacco also aggravates asthma. " Rapid smoking cessation is the most effective treatment for slowing the progression of COPD and improving symptoms of asthma "Recalls the WHO.
A repercussion throughout life too. In utero exposure to toxins from tobacco smoke, maternal smoking, or exposure to second-hand smoke often results in decreased lung growth and lung function. Young children exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk of worsening asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and frequent lower respiratory tract infections, notes WHO. " Globally, 165 000 is estimated to be the number of children dying before the age of five due to lower respiratory tract infections due to passive smoking. The health consequences continue to weigh on those who reach adulthood, because the frequency of respiratory infections of the lower pathways significantly increases the risk of developing COPD in adults ».
WHO does not kill tuberculosis ... which is badly related to tobacco use. " Tuberculosis causes lung damage and reduces lung function, a condition that is further aggravated by smoking ", Confirms the World Health Organization. " The chemical components of tobacco smoke can trigger latent TB infections, about one-quarter of the subjects involved. Active TB, aggravated by the harmful effects of smoking on the lungs, markedly increases the risk of disability and death from respiratory failure ».
Tobacco smoke is a very dangerous form of indoor pollution: it contains more 7 000 chemicals, of which 69 is known to be carcinogenic. It is therefore involved in air pollution. Although it may be invisible and odorless, it can remain in the air for up to five hours and cause those at risk to develop lung cancer, chronic respiratory disease and decreased function. pulmonary.
WHAT OBJECTIVES FOR THIS WORLD DAY WITHOUT TOBACCO?
The most effective way to improve lung health is to reduce smoking and exposure to other people's smoke, says the international health agency. " In some countries, large parts of the 
Many people, including smokers, are unaware of the impact of smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke on lung health. Despite convincing data on the harmful effects of tobacco on the lungs, the potential of the fight to improve lung health continues to be underestimated ". The campaign aims to raise awareness of risks posed by smoking and exposure to other people's smoke "To the" knowledge of the particular dangers of smoking for lung health ", to" global magnitude of mortality and morbidity from tobacco-related lung diseases, including chronic respiratory diseases and lung cancer " New data will also be published on the link between smoking and deaths due to tuberculosis or the implications of passive smoking for lung health in all age groups.
Lung health is not simply the result of the absence of disease, notes WHO. Tobacco smoke has major consequences at this level for both smokers and non-smokers around the world. To meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of reducing the premature death rate from noncommunicable diseases by one-third by 2030, tobacco control must be a priority for governments and communities around the world, reminds the institution.
Source : Seronet.info
