2025-06-13 –, BS 3.17 - 44 cap.
Background
Tobacco use remains “one of the biggest public health threats” [1] in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking tobacco is responsible for over 8 million deaths a year [1]. However, smoking prevalence is not evenly distributed across all groups but is particularly high among marginalized and vulnerable populations [3].
Objectives
Even though it is not a new insight that smoking is particularly prevalent among marginalized and vulnerable groups, these very groups are not effectively reached by existing tobacco control policies. The aim of the presentation is therefore to present approaches to tobacco control policies that can also reach marginalized groups.
Methods
Based on a narrative, selective literature review, programs and strategies of tobacco control policies are presented that have proven effective in reaching smokers from marginalized populations.
Implications
One important concept that has proven effective in reaching marginalized groups in many countries is Tobacco Harm Reduction. This presentation aims to provide food for thought for a rethinking of drug policy regarding smoking. A change is necessary to reach equality in drug policy.
Literature
[1] World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Geneva: 2023.
[2] European Commission. Special Eurobarometer 506: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes: report. 2021.
[3] Hiscock R, Bauld L, Amos A, Fidler JA, Munafò M. Socioeconomic status and smoking: a review. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2012;1248:107–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06202.x.
Social drug researcher since 1999, full professor for social work since 2024
Larissa Steimle is a social worker currently working as a research assistant at the Institute of Addiction Research at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. Further, she is completing her doctorate on the topic of professional, supportive relationships in the context of crisis interventions. As a social worker she worked five years with people with mental illnesses. Her main areas of research include topics related to mental illnesses/drug use, professional social work and tobacco harm reduction.