World No Tobacco Day celebrations occur every year in many cities all over the WHO European Region.

The Member States of WHO started World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the resulting preventable death and disease. Addressing a different theme each year, this celebration on 31 May informs the public on:

• the dangers of using tobacco;
• the business practices of tobacco companies;
• WHO's work to fight the tobacco epidemic; and
• action that people around the world can take to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2011 focused on the WHO FCTC

WNTD 2011 focussed on the following key message: Countries must ratify (adopt) and fully implement the WHO FCTC to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.

Individuals and civil society should encourage and help their governments to fulfill that obligation. From the very beginning, civil society and the public were key to the success of the WHO FCTC, and this continues to be the case.  

Download the WNTD poster

See the Health-EU e-newsletter on WNTD 2011

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2012 will focus on tobacco industry intereference

You can tell us about events for WNTD 2012 closer to the date. We are looking forward to next year's celebrations.

See the announcement