Contents
obacco use is a major cause of illness in Europe and worldwide.
Smoking creates health problems which affect individuals, different
social and age groups, families, societies, national and international
economies. Two vital aspects on the European level are discussed
in this book: change leading to legislation, in which the European
Union is playing a key role, and the widening health gap between
east and west Europe in which differences in smoking rates are
crucial.
The European tobacco control conference was initiated to foster pan-European networking among health professionals interested in tobacco research and policy, smoke-free environments, smoking prevention and tobacco control programmes. This is why descriptions of networks take such a prominent space in this book. There is a need for a concerted action, sharing information and experiences, and the range of networks presented here reflects the versatility of such work.
Our environment, both physical and psychological, is changing unexpectedly fast. The sections of this book present an overview of smoking and health from different angles, statistics and questions related to advocacy and media. The subjects vary greatly and cross many boundaries. Another important aspect emphasised here is the comprehensive nature of successful policies. We need different disciplines and both sound theory and good practice to achieve this. Through this we can promote an environment that supports sustained public policy towards a smoke-free society.
The Smokefree Europe Conference on Tobacco or Health brought over 500 delegates to Helsinki in October 1996. Parallel with the conference, the forum of European cancer experts convened in Helsinki. Their work was to discuss guidelines of tobacco policy within the European Union. The results of this closed meeting of experts were later shared in the conference. Both the conference resolutions and the recommendations of cancer experts are reproduced in this volume.
Although most of emphasis here is on European issues, the global context of the need for tobacco control should always be borne in mind. With multinational industries and international lifestyle appeals the tobacco problem is truly global; and this calls for global solutions. We learn from one another. Countries with long histories of anti-smoking programmes, such as the USA or Finland, should share their experiences and know-how with countries that are now confronting the great burden of tobacco use, such as China or Russia. The chances to do so are increasing. The 10th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Beijing followed the Smokefree Europe forum in less than a year. The next European highlight is in Gran Canary, Spain, where the second European conference will be held in February 1999. Let's use the opportunities these create to strengthen smoke-free action and commitment everywhere.
Pekka Puska