Under the heading “Youth Nicotine Addiction: From Prevention to Protection – No More Delays, Time to Act Together”, this year's conference focuses specifically on the rapidly changing market for nicotine products and how society can prevent new generations from developing nicotine addiction.
The conference theme highlights that it is no longer just about informing young people about the risks. The focus is also on the responsibility of society, politics and the business community to protect children and young people from products that can create early and long-term nicotine addiction.
Issues expected to be at the center include how nicotine products are marketed, how young people are exposed to them, what role flavoring and product design play, and what policy measures can reduce use.
From individual choice to societal responsibility
The phrase “From Prevention to Protection” reflects a change in the view of preventive work. Giving young people knowledge is important, but the conference’s message is that prevention also needs to be about the environments in which young people live and the products they actually encounter.
Behind the conference are, among others, the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention, ENSP, together with Green Crescent and the International Federation of Green Crescent.
With the call “No More Delays, Time to Act Together”, the organizers also want to emphasize that development requires joint efforts across national borders. When new nicotine products can quickly be established on the market, the question of how young people should be protected becomes increasingly urgent – both for Sweden and for the rest of Europe.
