The second Wednesday of March, 2024, will be celebrated as National No Smoking Day. This day is designed as an opportunity for you to reach out to your loved ones and friends who may be suffering from nicotine addiction. According to research, the number of people smoking cigarettes – and not actively trying to stop smoking – is decreasing rapidly. Smoking stigma and the dangers associated with first-hand and second-hand smoke tend to increase in severity over time. On National No Smoking Day, however, many individuals are encouraged to assist others in quitting smoking.
NATIONAL NO SMOKING DAY HISTORY
National No Smoking Day originated in the Republic of Ireland in 1984 on Ash Wednesday when the ruling clergy determined that cigarettes would be a good thing for people to give up for Lent. Since then, the holiday has been shifted to the second Wednesday of March, which is more predictable.
The first medical reports linking smoking to cancer appeared in the 1920s. During the 1950s and 1960s, extensive research confirmed tobacco could cause a variety of serious diseases. As knowledge about the health effects of active and passive smoking increased rapidly, smoking became less popular.
The British Heart Foundation, whose members develop a marketing slogan each year, is now in charge of coordinating the National No Smoking campaign. For example, the slogan in 2010 was “Break free!” and television ads depicted smokers breaking cigarettes rather than smoking them.
According to the annual Healthy Ireland Survey, 80,000 people quit smoking over the preceding three years in the Republic of Ireland, which historically was home to many heavy smokers.
Over 8 million people die each year as a result of tobacco use, according to the World Health Organization. The majority of those deaths result from direct tobacco use, while around 1.2 million of them result from second-hand smoke exposure. The decline in smoking was largely driven by government warnings, labels, age and location restrictions, in spite of these statistics.
Quitting smoking can lower diabetes risk by 30-40 per cent: WHO
NATIONAL NO SMOKING DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | March 9 | Wednesday |
| 2023 | March 8 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | March 13 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | March 12 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | March 11 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | March 10 | Wednesday |
