Give up smoking for one day – that’s the challenge. In fact, on May 31, people across the country will be making the effort to reduce their tobacco consumption and kick the habit together.

May 31 is World No Tobacco Day, a day that highlights the health risks associated with tobacco use and encourages reduced tobacco consumption.

Every year in Nova Scotia 1,700 people die from smoking and another 200 die from illnesses connected to second-hand smoke. World No Tobacco Day was started to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco.

Twenty-four hours is great, but why not stretch that longer?

A serious risk to your health
Tobacco consumption is related to dozens of diseases and conditions and has negative effects on nearly every organ of your body. Smoking is the cause of most cases of lung cancer and is the primary cause of other lung problems such as chronic bronchitis. Smokers have an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke and cancer of the esophagus, larynx, throat or mouth.

Aside from being related to diseases, the chemicals in tobacco smoke can promote wrinkles and yellow your teeth, fingers and fingernails. The senses of taste and smell become weaker, making food less appetizing than it once was. Smoking also increases the risk of infertility and miscarriage in women and the risk of impotence and infertility in men.

You owe it to yourself
By quitting, your chances of getting lung cancer or having a stroke are drastically reduced and you will protect your loved ones from second-hand smoke. You’ll notice fewer coughs, colds and earaches and have better smelling clothes, hair and breath. Your food will taste better and you can finally climb stairs and walk without becoming out of breath. Along with all these life-changing benefits, you will also have more money in your pocket.

The ultimate goal of World No Tobacco Day
The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2013 is to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Advertising bans are effective in reducing the numbers of people starting and continuing smoking and statistics show that banning tobacco advertising is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce tobacco demand.

World No Tobacco Day not only advocates for the present generation, but also for future generations. Quit today and join the force that aims to protect your children and grandchildren from devastating health consequences and the social, environmental and economic drawbacks of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.

Start today – no excuses!
You may have tried to quit before or this may be your first time – or you could be trying to help someone else quit. It isn’t easy to quit smoking but it won’t happen if you don’t give it a chance! Once you have decided to quit there are many resources and support systems you can turn to for help such as your family doctor or doctorsNS.com.

Click here to learn more about World No Tobacco Day.

More resources to help you quit:
Addiction Services (Nova Scotia Health and Wellness)
Quit Now (Health Canada)
Driven to Quit (Canadian Cancer Society)

Quitting isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. What are some of your success stories?