May 31, 2022
Â鶹ӳ» recognizes World No Tobacco Day on May 31
EDMONTON ¡ª World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is May 31 ¡ª and Â鶹ӳ» (AHS) is raising awareness about the health risks associated with smoking and reminding Â鶹ӳ»ns of tobacco cessation resources available to them.
Every year, more than 4,000 Â鶹ӳ»ns die because of tobacco use, while tens of thousands more Â鶹ӳ»ns have serious tobacco-related illnesses that significantly affect their quality of life.
Quitting smoking will not only help improve one¡¯s health but can help improve the health of our community environments as well.
AHS offers a variety of free programs and services to help Â鶹ӳ»ns quit tobacco, including telephone counselling, online self-help information, and group cessation programs:
Information and resources are available at health clinics, pharmacies and dental offices in many communities and AHS locations, including cessation services created for patients who use tobacco or tobacco-like products.
Tobacco and tobacco-like products also affect the environment which, in turn, affects the health of our communities. Deforestation, land degradation, energy and water consumption, emissions and post-consumer waste are just a few of the tobacco-related environmental harms highlighted by the , which established WNTD. Canada produced 14,759 tons of tobacco-related waste in 2018: 9,421 tons due to packaging and 5,338 due to cigarette butts.
WNTD has been an annual observance on May 31 for more than 20 years. It aims to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and help advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
Â鶹ӳ» is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Â鶹ӳ». Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Â鶹ӳ»ns.
