In order to intensify the campaign against smoking by raising public awareness of its ill effects, as well as to encourage smokers to cease the habit, Presidential Proclamation No. 183, s. 1993, declares the month of June of every year as the National No Smoking Month in the country. This extends the observance of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. The campaign calls the need to focus national attention to the dangers of smoking.
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than 8 million people a year around the world, as the World Health Organization reported.

Smoking can lead to an increase risk of a variety of ongoing complications in the body, as well as long-term effects on the body systems. In the Philippines, WHO estimates that 10 Filipinos die every hour due to cancer, stroke, lung and heart diseases brought on by cigarette smoking, the most common form of tobacco use worldwide.
Today, when the world was devastated by a deadly coronavirus disease 2019, available research says that smokers are at higher risk of acquiring severe COVID-19 results and death. COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs. Smoking reduces lung capacity and eventually damage lung function making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other respiratory diseases.

With all the health threat that smoking causes, WHO recommends quitting tobacco use. Quitting will help your lungs and heart to work better from the moment you stop. Within 20 minutes of quitting, elevated heart rate and blood pressure drop back down to normal. After 12 hours, the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in the bloodstream drop by half and oxygen levels will return to normal. Within 2-12 weeks, circulation improves and lung function increases. After 1-9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Quitting will help to protect your loved ones, especially children, from exposure to second-hand smoke.
Further, the National Nutrition Council advocates to follow the Kumainment No. 10 “Maging Aktibo. Iwasan and alak; huwag manigarilyo.” and encourage everyone to stay healthy and to have a healthy lifestyle to prevent and control non-communicable diseases and to strengthen the immune system.(RALaurito/AMFlores/NPC)