World No Tobacco Day is on Sunday 31 May 2009. It is a World Health Organisation project that is part of the much larger Tobacco Free Initiative.

“The Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) was established in July 1998 to focus international attention, resources and action on the global tobacco epidemic.”

Each year World No Tobacco Day has a theme. 2009 is no different:

“The theme of World No Tobacco Day 2009 is “Tobacco Health Warnings”, with an emphasis on the picture warnings that have been shown to be particularly effective at making people aware of the health risks of tobacco use and convincing them to quit. More and more countries are fighting back against the epidemic of tobacco by requiring that packages of tobacco show the dangers of the product’s use, as called for in guidelines to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.”

About ten percent of the world’s population live in jurisdictions where picture warnings have been implemented. To date, the only African country is Egypt. This World No Tobacco Day may be the opportunity to mobilise for the changes to legislation needed in South Africa.

Some of the images used on the packaging of cigarettes in countries which have implemented the graphic picture recommendation would not normally be shown to children because of their graphic nature. Images of lips cut away because of cancerous growths and of lungs blackened by tar. This raises the question as to when the end justifies the means?

Cigarette Butts (©Adam Ciesielski)

Should we punish the smokers more? Is it time to let up on them? Is there such a thing as a caring smoker? What about people who work in the tobacco industry? If their jobs on the line, should governments support those who leave the industry?