National No Smoking Day, held every second Wednesday of March. This year it will be held on March 9, 2022. The day is designed as a time to reach out to friends or family members who suffer from nicotine addiction. Research shows the number of people around the world who still smoke cigarettes and are not actively trying to quit is severely dwindling. The stigma surrounding smoking and the dangers of first-hand and second-hand smoke tend to get more severe as time goes on. But on National No Smoking Day, many are encouraged to help others quit.
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. Between then and now, the day of the holiday has been shifted to a more predictable second Wednesday of March.
Medical reports linking smoking to cancer first appeared in the 1920s. During the 1950s and 1960s, extensive research confirmed tobacco could cause a range of serious diseases. Smoking then became less popular due to a rapid increase in knowledge of the health effects of both active and passive smoking.
Now, the National No Smoking campaign is organized by the British Heart Foundation, whose members come up with a marketing phrase every year. For example, in 2010, the motto was, “Break free!” Television ads that year showed smokers breaking cigarettes instead of smoking them.
Historically, many heavy smokers populated the Republic of Ireland, but the numbers steadily declined in recent years. According to the annual Healthy Ireland Survey, 80,000 people stopped smoking over the preceding three years.
The World Health Organization states tobacco kills up to half of its users, with more than 8 million people dying each year. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while around 1.2 million deaths are the result of exposure to second-hand smoke. Despite the statistics, government warnings, labels, age, and location restrictions helped positively affect the decline of smoking.
The day was significantly started to aware people of the ill effects of smoking and help them quit it on time. Giving up smoking takes a lot of dedication and motivation as ones who smoke regularly, their bodies get addicted to it. If they stop having a smoke, their body reacts in a way that they crave tobacco.
Therefore, the day is a great opportunity for everyone to take the first step towards quitting this deadly habit. According to various research, it is found that No Smoking Day has proven to be helpful to one out of ten people who wanted to quit this ill habit.
Not just this, various events are organised in the United Kingdom on this day that invites people to come and get access to resources to say goodbye to smoking. Apart from this, the day is also special for those who feel that their loved ones are ruining their life due to this lifethreatening habit. They can extend their helping hand to them by providing them with the right guidance and support.
So, if you are someone who smokes or you know someone who smokes, then come forward and pledge together against smoking