Objectives

The tobacco epidemic is a constant threat and a challenge for public health worldwide. The aim of the presented review was to prepare a bibliographic analysis of literature on tobacco smoking in Poland from 1960 to 2020 and to present a comprehensive summary of available literature on the topic.

Material and methods

We have undertaken a comprehensive electronic literature search of articles published between 1960 and 2020. Firstly, the PubMed and Web of Science databases were used to generate relevant publications. All articles with the terms “tobacco” or “cigarette” and “smoking” and “Poland” published in English or Polish language were included in the literature collection process. Moreover, we employed a search from Polish resources (mainly Główna Biblioteka Lekarska – GBL). Finally, to expand the generated literature a hand search was undertaken to collect publications available only in paper form, especially those published in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

Results

A total of 230 articles were included in the final analysis. The data collected included primary research articles (original papers, reviews), as well as other research documentation such as survey commentary reports, materials from conferences, and statistical reports. Records of smoking history and various analyses of its effects in Poland had been collected from the year 1960 to 2020.

Conclusions

Poland is one of the few countries that has closely monitored the prevalence of tobacco smoking in the population since the 1960s. The presented literature review gives a unique insight into patterns and trends of smoking over the years.