Weedless Wednesday 2023 Canada: Date, History, 5 Shocking Facts about Smoking

Weedless Wednesday 2023 occurs in the third full week of January, beginning on Sunday in the middle of Canada’s annual National Non-Smoking Week. This year, the date is January 18. Did you know that smokers live 10 years less on average than nonsmokers? This is why Weedless Wednesday encourages tobacco and cannabis smokers to give up the habit for one day. National Non-Smoking Week is coordinated by the Canadian Council on Tobacco Control primarily to inform Canadians about the dangers of smoking, assist non-smokers in abstaining from smoking, prevent tobacco addiction, and assist smokers in quitting.

HISTORY OF WEEDLESS WEDNESDAY

Weedless Wednesday is the highlight of National Non-Smoking Week, during which smokers are encouraged to abstain from smoking for 24 hours. National Non-Smoking Week began in 1977 with the theme “Kick the Habit” to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking, encourage smokers to overcome their addiction, and discourage non-smokers from starting the habit.

The Canadian Council for Tobacco Control has coordinated National Non-Smoking Week for more than four decades. According to the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control, the purpose of Weedless Wednesday is to promote a “one day at a time approach to quitting smoking, a concept that appeals to many smokers who may be deterred by the thought of an entire week – or lifetime – without cigarettes, but who may be able to handle a smoke-free day.

Admittedly, quitting nicotine and cannabis can be challenging due to their addictive properties. Many smokers have admitted that quitting was comparable to letting go of their “best friend.” Inhaling smoke or vapour from these substances may pose long-term health risks and have detrimental effects on health. Smoking decreases the body’s good cholesterol levels, thereby increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. Additionally, smoking raises blood pressure and increases the risk of stroke.

According to health professionals, quitting smoking for as little as one hour has significant health benefits. Within the first 12 hours following cessation of tobacco and cannabis use, carbon monoxide levels decrease and oxygen levels increase. Those who abstain from smoking for a full day may also reduce their risk of suffering a heart attack during that time period.

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5 SHOCKING FACTS ABOUT SMOKING YOU SHOULD KNOW

According to the WHO, there are approximately 1.3 billion smokers in the world today, and this number is expected to rise to 1.6 billion by 2025.

Smoking decreases life expectancy: on average, smoking reduces life expectancy by 13 years, and by 16 years if the smoker also has HIV.

Smoking-related deaths in the United States: Smoking is responsible for one out of every five deaths in the United States; over 480,000 Americans die annually from smoking!

Approximately 10 million cigarettes are purchased each minute on a global scale; 15 billion are sold each day, and more than six trillion are produced and consumed annually.

Out of the eight million smoking-related deaths reported annually worldwide, one million and two hundred thousand are attributable to secondhand smoke.

WEEDLESS WEDNESDAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2022	January 19	Wednesday
2023	January 18	Wednesday
2024	January 24	Wednesday
2025	January 22	Wednesday
2026	January 21	Wednesday