the World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the dangerous impacts of tobacco on society, saying that more than eight million human lives, 600 million trees, 200,000 hectares of land, 22 billion tons of water and 80 million tons of carbon dioxide carbon (CO2), among others, are lost annually for the tobacco industries.
The world body made the claim in a publication on Tuesday as part of activities to mark this year’s World No Tobacco Day, which the organization has set aside to raise public awareness of the danger inherent in tobacco, tobacco products and the tobacco industries. .
The WHO, in the post, also urged lawmakers to consider banning cigarette filters, noting that they contain microplastics, which it said make up the second highest form of plastic pollution worldwide.
He further explained that smoking is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension. He said that 70 of the 7,000 chemicals in tobacco cause cancer in humans and animals.
Tobacco harms the planet
In the latest WHO report, entitled: “Tobacco: poisoning our planet”, the world body said that the impact of tobacco on the environment occurs at various stages, from growth and cultivation to the use and disposal of tobacco products. .
The report states in part; “Each of these stages has negative implications for the environment, including the use of precious resources like water and trees and the creation of pollutants through manufacturing.
“Tobacco production and consumption also contribute to global warming, releasing 80 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the environment each year, the equivalent of driving 17 million gasoline cars each year.
“The long history of negative health implications of tobacco is well known, including the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancers and respiratory diseases, but what is less frequently discussed are the harmful effects it has on the health of our planet” .
He added that tobacco farming destroys forests, damages soil and depletes water supplies, while manufacturing contributes to the production of toxic waste.
Impact on livelihoods and health of farmers
The WHO further noted that tobacco farmers and their families are exposed to various health risks.
He added that up to 25 percent of tobacco growers are affected by green tobacco sickness, an illness caused by nicotine absorbed through the skin when handling tobacco leaves.
In addition to direct exposures, the WHO said that “tobacco farmers often bring harmful exposures into their homes on their bodies, clothing or shoes, leading to secondary harmful exposures to their families.”
“Children are particularly vulnerable, given their body weight in relation to the proportion of nicotine absorbed through the skin.
“Pregnant women are disproportionately affected by the harmful effects of tobacco growing and face an increased risk of miscarriage,” the WHO said.
On the use of agrochemicals, the WHO said that tobacco cultivation requires intensive use of pesticides and fertilizers, which it noted contribute to soil degradation.
“Land used to grow tobacco then has less capacity to grow other crops, such as food, as tobacco depletes soil fertility,” he added.
water depletion
The WHO also revealed in the report that the depletion of precious water resources is another harmful consequence of tobacco production. He said that its production requires up to eight times more water than tomatoes or potatoes.
He explained that each year, around 22 billion tons of water are used in tobacco production globally, which he said is the equivalent of 15 million Olympic swimming pools, or roughly the volume of water discharged by the Amazon.
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“These estimates of water use are likely to be underestimates,” he said, adding that; “A large proportion of tobacco product waste, consisting primarily of cigarette butts, ends up in water bodies and water sources.”
However, the WHO said taking legal steps to reduce tobacco cultivation and help farmers switch to other food production appears to be more efficient.
call to action
Therefore, the world health organization called on the general public to advocate for a cleaner environment free of waste from tobacco products to protect the ecosystem.
It read: “Encourage tobacco users to quit by educating them about the negative environmental impacts of tobacco.
“Support political action to ban single-use plastics, including cigarette filters, smokeless tobacco pouches, and disposable electronic nicotine delivery systems.
“Raise awareness of tobacco industry greenwashing tactics and support governments in introducing additional levies and taxes on the industry to protect the environment.”
About World No Tobacco Day
The member states of the WHO had reserved in 1987 every May 31 “to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable deaths and diseases it causes”.
The world health organization said in 1987 that the World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38, which called for April 7, 1988 to be “a world no-smoking day.” In 1988, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed, calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on May 31.
The theme of this year’s awareness campaign is; “Tobacco: poisoning our planet”.
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