Nicotine consumption in Poland: from traditional cigarettes to modern products - a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco and nicotine use remain a major public health concern. In recent years, there has been a notable shift toward alternative nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, which have become increasingly popular, particularly among younger populations. Additionally, socio-demographic factors have a substantial impact on consumption habits. The aim of this scoping review is to analyze the types of nicotine and tobacco products used by Polish residents and explore the socio-demographic factors affecting their consumption. METHODS: To conduct this scoping review, we searched two academic databases (PubMed and Scopus) and reviewed grey literature sources (Google Scholar). In addition, a manual search was conducted to find further relevant research. Only English and Polish language publications examining the consumption of tobacco products among Polish residents were included. RESULTS: We identified a total of 1,849 records, from which 151 were selected for full-text analysis. After this process, 20 studies were included in the final review. We also identified and incorporated three manually reviewed works into the study. CONCLUSION: Nicotine use in Poland is changing, with traditional cigarettes remaining common, but e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products becoming more popular, especially among younger individuals. The increasing occurrence of dual use, influenced by social dynamics like peer pressure and family smoking patterns, highlights serious public health risks. To address this, strong prevention measures and continued research on policy impacts and new nicotine products are crucial.