Report about limiting tobacco usage among youth

13.05.2021

Scientists from the Division of Public Health & Social Medicine of the MUG – Michał Stokłosa Ph.D. (representing also the Tobacconomics, University of Illinois at Chicago), Katarzyna Pogorzelczyk Ph.D. and unit’s Head Dr Habil. Łukasz Balwicki M.D., Ph.D. prepared a report Tools to reduce tobacco use among young people in Poland. The publication is an effect of cooperation between the Norwegian Cancer Society and the Ministry of Health. It has been financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism in 2014-2021 under the PDP2 project Healthy lifestyle of children and youth (Zdrowy styl życia dzieci i młodzieży).

Specialists comprehensively discuss the matter of tobacco usage among youth people and examine factors determining their initiation of smoking. The experts analyse also ways to limiting the popularity of tobacco among youth and select the most efficient ones. To address this problem they propose both educational and legislative ones, as well as educational activities, addressed to the whole society.

Authors indicate the counteracting smoking initiation among youth and combating this addiction among people already affected by that as the most important points. They postulate the necessity of introducing anti-smoking education and raising the minimum age of sale of tobacco products to 21. In scientists’ opinion, the introduction of a ban for the use of tobacco products in vehicles when children, adolescents, or pregnant women are on board is also needed.

Full English-language document is available at the publication’s website.