Current perspective on smoking epidemics in Poland - statement the Polish Society of Public Health

Introduction and Objective. Over the past years, due to better education and prevention methods, the number of daily tobacco smokers in developed countries has noticeably declined. However, the rates of tobacco addicts and number of people dying from smoke-related diseases is still alarming and smoking remains the leading cause of premature death. In Poland, despite a significant decrease in mortality, tobacco smoking is still one of the major challenges for public health care. It is expected that the number of smokers will persist on a relatively high level, resulting in a lot of needless deaths, generating high medical care costs, negatively influencing citizens' wellbeing and harming the economy. This literature review aims at describing the current state of tobacco consumption in Poland, with emphasis on public health action for its reduction.Review Methods. A comprehensive literature review was conducted of extant publications and analysis of statistical data obtained from reports and scientific descriptions in the area of smoking epidemiology.Brief description of the state of knowledge. Despite comprehensive research confirming smoking as a high-risk factor in the development of many civilization diseases, it remains a significant issue in public health in Poland. There is an urgent need for the development of systemic measures which would help decrease tobacco use in Polish society. The study reviews the current state of tobacco use in Poland, the steps taken to reduce the number of addicted people, available harm reduction solutions and accessible methods of treatment, focusing on the source of the issue, limitations and requirements that remain to be covered in Poland. The study elaborates on national perspectives for reaching a satisfying number of smokers, ultimately leading to the complete elimination of smoking from Polish society.