The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To determine major changes in smoking patterns in order to create more comprehensive and effective tobacco control strategy and action plans

Methods: Nation-wide randomized surveys on smoking behaviors in adult Polish population

Results: The 1974 survey showed that 60% of adult men and 18% of women were daily smokers. In men, there was not much difference in smoking rates by age and education. In women, smoking prevalence was age- and educated dependent. In the 1980's, smoking frequency had increased, especially in women. An additional factor that affected smoking was the introduction of cigarette rationing what contributed to receiving by everyone a cigarettes quota. As a result, there was a rise in the number of smokers by more than one million. In 1982, smoking prevalence was the highest in history. In the 1980's, market shortages led to the freezing of consumption levels. The proportion of young male never-smokers rose slightly while smoking rates among women kept increasing. In the 1990's, smoking prevalence fell both among men and women. In male population, decrease can be observed in all age groups, being most marked among the elderly. It is seen across all categories of education, but is much more pronounced among those better educated. In women, smoking rates have fallen only in the younger age groups. Generally, the reduction has been most marked in the youngest adult women. Over the last decade, smoking rates among young women have fallen by half, however, the greatest reduction has occurred among young, well-educated women.