Smoking prevention has been on the agenda for health professionals and politicians, NGOs, Member States and the European Commission for several years now. Nevertheless, approximately one third of the adult population throughout Europe still smokes (this figure is lower in some countries, in others higher), despite the fact that people are fully aware of the risks of smoking and know that the rate of tobacco-related diseases and deaths is high. It is estimated that tobacco kills some 650,000 Europeans every year, i.e. one in seven of all deaths across the EU. A need still exists to understand better what reasons people have to continue to smoke. The main focus of this report is on the individual smoker, how nicotine affects the body and why the individual smokes. Issues such as how the body reacts to tobacco are also raised. Certain myths surrounding tobacco and the reality are compared. This publication also features a CD of additional material: a qualitative and quantitative study in five countries and a graphical summary of the overall results for the motivations involved in smoking.

Why People Smoke is available from the ENSP Secretariat. The cost of € 40 also covers postage and packaging.

Produced by ENSP with the support of the Swedish National Public Health Institute, this report gives an overview of the issues surrounding oral tobacco prior to the forthcoming legal challenges to the ban on oral tobacco in the EU (under Directive 2001/37/EC)

Tackling inequalities in smoking is a key element in any strategy to tackle inequalities in health.

This report provides an overview of effective tobacco control policies and quantifies the tobacc control efforts of European Countries according to a scale. The purpose of the score system is to encourage those in charge of the policy to look at the scores of their country, analyse their policy and make proposals to improve the weaker components

Indoor tobacco smoke or second-hand smoke (SHS) has been a growing concern in public health policies since the early 1980s. Authoritative reviews over the past two decades have presented scientific evidence linking SHS exposure to a number of adverse health outcomes. Two early reports noted several adverse effects: the first (U.S. DHEW, 1979) described respiratory outcomes in children and adults, as well as some acute cardiovascular effects associated with involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke. The second (U.S. DHHS, 1982), which focused on the carcinogenic effects of active smoking, raised the concern that involuntary smoking may cause lung cancer. The extensive series of epidemiological investigations following the publication of those reports provided compelling evidence of a causal relationship. Subsequently three important reviews (U.S. DHHS, 1986; NRC, 1986; U.S. EPA, 1992) concluded that SHS exposure causes lung cancer and is associated with lower respiratory tract illnesses in young children, as well as with other adverse respiratory affects.

An unavoidable question facing policy makers seeking to address the impact of tobacco on organisational and employee health and well being is: Can the investment of time and effort in the development and implementation of comprehensive workplace tobacco policies be justified?
The answer is a clear: Yes, with the basis for this response being found in many technical reports and scientific studies.

The result of a collaborative effort between experts from all over Europe [Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands and the UK] this report contains a supportive statement by Mr. David Byrne, former member of the European Commission and Dr Marc Danzon, at that time WHO Regional Director Europe. It looks at the health risks from active and passive smoking, legislation in Europe pertaining to smoking at work and in public places, smoking prevention in European countries and companies and also the cost benefits for companies of adopting workplace smoking policies.