Regional Director's message
Every year, on 31 May, we celebrate World No Tobacco Day. This year's campaign highlights the dangers of tobacco and its devastating effects on all of us, and on the development of our societies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Tobacco threatens more than health. It impacts the environment, the economy and other aspects of our lives. Estimates indicate that tobacco kills more than seven million people every year; more than 80% of these people live in low- and middle-income countries. Tobacco use also impacts sustainable development. In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, one of the objectives of health-related Sustainable Development Goal 3 is to "Strengthen the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate".
On this World No Tobacco Day, we are renewing our call to governments to strengthen their tobacco control efforts, guided by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the six measures known as MPOWER. In particular, we call on countries to increase taxes on tobacco products, and to enforce a comprehensive ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of all tobacco products. Tobacco control can break the cycle of poverty, contribute to ending hunger, promote sustainable agriculture and economic growth, and combat climate change. Governments can benefit from increasing taxes on tobacco products, and use revenues to finance universal health coverage, and spend on education and other development programmes.
We all have a role to play. Individuals also have a role in making a sustainable, tobacco-free world by committing to never taking up tobacco products. Those who do use tobacco can quit the habit, or seek help in doing so. Countries should protect their populations, especially children and young people from secondhand smoke, by prohibiting smoking in public places to protect both health and the environment.
Today, let us all renew our commitment to combat tobacco use in all its forms.
Message from Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean English [pdf 30.3kb] | Arabic [41.0kb] | French [28.4kb]
Poster: Tobacco threatens us all
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Banners (landscape size, portrait size, roll up)
Social media materials (Twitter, Instagram square and Facebook graphic)
Brochure: Tobacco threatens us all
The brochure "Tobacco threatens us all", published for World No Tobacco Day 2017, describes how tobacco use has devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences.
Infographic on the environment
PNG format English | Arabic | French
Infographic on women and children
PNG format English | Arabic | French
Infographic on health and economic impact
PNG format English | Arabic | French
Infographic on poverty
PNG format English | Arabic | French
Video
YouTube format English | Arabic | French
Mp4 format English | Arabic | French
Press release: Tobacco damages more than health
Cairo, Egypt, 18 May, 2017 — On this World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on governments, partners, communities and individuals to stop using tobacco and drive sustainable development. The slogan for this year’s Day is “Say no to tobacco”. Tobacco control can protect health, reduce poverty and promote development.
PDF format English | Arabic | French