Yesterday marked the 36th year that the world observed World No Tobacco Day. This relatively obscure milestone masks a stalled effort to curb consumption of combustible cigarettes and other nicotine-related products. It’s unlikely most people paid any attention. But the impact of smoking is all around us, even if we don’t see it. Statistics rarely tell a provocative story to compel people to action.

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time.

Chronic bronchitis is a type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time.

Healthy lifestyles mean more years of healthy life. And remember, it was not just more years of life but fewer chronic illnesses for a longer “health span.”