The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: From the perspective of Pippi Longstocking, a fictional character known for her strength and spontaneity, this presentation will provide a description of tobacco control progress in Sweden over the last three decades with an emphasis on policy, targeted social marketing and comprehensive programming.

Method: Sweden falls within stage four in the progression of tobacco use and disease onset and is one of the first countries in the world to fund tobacco control programmes. Starting in 1963, a comprehensive programme had been developed and implemented and has evolved into the present day's tight legislation, smoke-free environments, ban on tobacco advertising and promotion, public information and education activities and smoking cessation facilities. Despite these advances, a number of new challenges remain as smoking is more common among low educated people, women, single mothers and some immigrant groups.

Elements within tobacco control activities to be highlighted include the impact of a step by step legislative approach in changing the social acceptability for smoking, the key role of NGOs within the tobacco control movement and women-focused action that used innovative and controversial methods to hook the media. Also the impact of oral smokeless tobacco on the Swedish society will be discussed by highlighting the impact of total number of tobacco consumers.

Results: The result of implementing progressively tighter tobacco control policies within a comprehensive programme has been very encouraging as demonstrated by the steadily falling smoking rates for some decades.