The brochure produced by SIPaD (in both Italian and English) provides a comprehensive overview of smoking and nicotine in Italy, highlighting that approximately fourteen million people smoke, a number that requires concrete health strategies given its stable prevalence over the last decade.
This work aims to emphasise that smoking is the main preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases, with the primary objective of preventing initiation and promoting cessation.
A key point highlighted is that nicotine is not carcinogenic and is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases, which are mainly due to the more than 7,000 toxic substances produced by tobacco combustion.
The document suggests that, when cessation is not possible, it is essential to consider the use of combustion-free products to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.
Finally, smoking addiction is described as a complex combination of the reinforcing effects of nicotine and behavioural factors related to the ritual of smoking.
