[Smoking habits and use of snuff in Norway 1973-95. Has the declining trend levelled off?].

A number of studies indicate that the prevalence of smoking declined among young Norwegian adults during the 1960s and 1970s. The present paper shows, however, that this decreasing trend seemed to level out during the 1980s. Hence the total prevalence of smoking in Norway decreased by only two percent units from 1980 to 1993, as compared with approximately 10% in many other European countries. Among persons aged 16-19 years an increased prevalence of smoking has been observed in most recent years. Consequently, in 1995 the smoking prevalences among young males and females were about the same as observed around 1980. These trends in smoking prevalence and use of snuff are discussed with particular reference to the lack of emphasis on preventive measures that has characterised the Norwegian tobacco policy during the last decades; especially that the funds allocated for tobacco-related health education and information were reduced by 90% during the 1980s.