No Smoking Day (Second Wednesday of March)
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No Smoking Day Check its History, Importance and FAQs
No Smoking Day celebrates on the second Wednesday of March every year, in India. The purpose of this day is to encourage and support people to quit smoking. This day is about helping people realize that smoking is a harmful habit. No Smoking Day is an initiative of the Government of India to spread the message that smoking is injurious to health.
On this day, people should come together to spread the message against public smoking, and smoking in general. We have shared further information about No Smoking Day, its significance and its history here.
No Smoking Day
The government of India launched this day to spread the message of the harmful effects of smoking far and wide. The idea of celebrating this day came from the United Kingdom’s No Smoking Day.
Question. When is No Smoking Day celebrated in India?
Answer. No Smoking Day is celebrated on the second Wednesday of March in India.
No Smoking Day – History
The history of No Smoking Day can be traced back to 1984, when the day was first celebrated in the United Kingdom. Back then, this day fell on Ash Wednesday, a Christian holiday of prayer and fasting. Now, No Smoking Day is celebrated on the second Wednesday of March every year.
In India, No Smoking Day is an occasion on which several public events and workshops are organized to help people quit smoking. This day is primarily concerned with spreading the message that smoking is a harmful habit.
Question. What is the importance of No Smoking Day?
Answer. No Smoking Day is an important occasion because this day highlights the harm that smoking does to our bodies and the environment. By spreading the message of the harmful effects of smoking, the No Smoking Day can be an opportunity to convince people to give up on smoking.
No Smoking Day – Significance
Every year, around 4,80,000 people from around the world die from smoking. As per a survey, around 22% of the world’s total population smokes. No Smoking Day is a great initiative to convince people to give up smoking. On No Smoking Day, we have shared some reasons why you should quit smoking:
- Smoking damages your lungs.
- Smoking can cause cancer.
- Smoking harms people around you.
- Smoking is harmful to the environment.
No Smoking Day – Government of India Initiatives
On the occasion of No Smoking Day, here we are sharing some of the initiatives by the Government of India to reduce the number of smokers –
- The Tobacco Control Programme (2007-08)
- Cigarettes Act (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution), 1975
- Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Second Amendment Rules, 2018
Question. Who started No Smoking Day in India?
Answer. No Smoking Day was first started in the UK. However, the government of India introduced a similar national day based on the same concept. In India, No Smoking Day is observed on the second Wednesday of March every year. On this day, people encourage everyone to give up on smoking.