31 May: World No-Tobacco Day

June 1, 2016

World No-Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year across the world on 31 May.
This day highlights the health risks associated with consumption all forms of tobacco and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
2016 Theme: “World No Tobacco Day – Get ready for plain packaging”. The theme seeks to highlight this new trend packing trend in global efforts to control tobacco products, which kill almost 6 million people annually.
What is Plain Packing?
Plain packaging of tobacco products prohibits or restricts the use of logos, brand images, colours and promotional information on packaging other than brand and product names displayed in a standard colour and font style.
How plain packaging works?

Plain packaging reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products.
It restricts tobacco advertising and promotion.
It kills the glamour, which is appropriate for a harmful product that kills people.
It limits misleading labelling and packaging.
It increases the effectiveness of health warnings.

Plain packaging has been recommended in WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) guidelines as part of a comprehensive approach to tobacco control.
Australia was the first country to fully implement plain packaging in 2012. France and United Kingdom and Northern Ireland also have started implementation of plain packaging from May 2016.
Background

In 1988, World Health Assembly of WHO had passed a resolution calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on May 31.
Since then, the WHO has supported World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) every year, linking each year to a different tobacco-related theme.
WNTD is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the WHO.

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