World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day facts

• According to the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of the world's 1 billion smokers live in low and middle income countries.
• Arsenic, lead, and tar are just three of the 7,000 chemicals that are found in tobacco smoke.
• Globally, the prevalence of tobacco smoking is higher among men, with around 32% of men being smokers compared to approximately 9% of women.
• Adolescents in South Africa are increasingly taking up smoking, with recent studies showing that the prevalence of tobacco use among high school students is 16.9%.
• A study estimates that direct and indirect costs of smoking in South Africa are around ZAR 59 billion per year.

In the News and Trending in South Africa for World No Tobacco Day

Top things to do in South Africa for World No Tobacco Day

• Educate youth and teenagers in your neighborhood about the negative effects of smoking and encourage them to quit if they have already picked up the habit. The best way to eradicate smoking is by educating the new generation of the negative effects of tobacco use.
• Volunteer for the Freedom from Smoking program or another like program that helps smokers quit.
• Watch a documentary to learn about the dangers of tobacco and its' impact on South Africians. Here are our top picks:
  1. The Tobacco Wars (2019) - This Al Jazeera documentary series investigates the tobacco industry's infiltration of the South African government and the threat to public health from the illicit tobacco trade.
  2. War on Tobacco: South Africa's fight against cigarette smuggling (2018) - Produced by Deutsche Welle (DW), this documentary explores South Africa's battle against the illicit tobacco trade, which costs the nation billions of dollars in lost tax revenue and threatens public health.
  3. South Africa: Smoking Gun (2013) - Produced by Journeyman Pictures, this investigative documentary delves into the role of multinational tobacco companies in South Africa, exposing their aggressive marketing tactics targeting the youth and undermining public health measures.
  4. The Price of Tobacco (2003) - This BBC documentary sheds light on the high cost of tobacco production on small-scale farmers in Africa, focusing on Malawi and Zimbabwe, which are major tobacco exporters to South Africa.
• Read a book to learn more about the dangers of tobacco and its' impact on South Africans. Here are our top picks:
  1. Tobacco Wars: Inside the Spy Games and Dirty Tricks of Southern Africa's Cigarette Trade by Johann van Loggerenberg - This book offers a comprehensive look at the tobacco industry's tactics and the dangers of tobacco in South Africa, with a focus on illegal cigarette trade, smuggling, and tax evasion.
  2. The Political Economy of Tobacco Control in South Africa: Between Saints and Sinners by Hana Ross - This book covers the political and economic factors influencing tobacco control in South Africa, providing insights into the dangers of tobacco and the complexities of policy implementation.
  3. Tobacco and Inequality: Dangers in South Africa by Rosemary Hobart - This book looks at the relationship between tobacco dangers and social inequalities in South Africa, exploring the impact of tobacco on vulnerable populations.
  4. Addictions and Development in South Africa: A Call for Action by Hayden Thorne - This book discusses the impact of various addictions, including tobacco, on social and economic development in South Africa, emphasizing the need for effective policies and interventions.

References and related sites