[Anti-smoking activities in Switzerland and their evaluation].

Abstract

Activities against smoking in Switzerland are planned and evaluated by the "Swiss Interagency Council on Smoking and Health". With special regard to the particular local situation it tries to coordinate the programs of its members (private organization as well as state authorities) in accordance with a multi-step plan (information about the effects of smoking, publicity, motivation for change of behavior, support of smoking-withdrawal programs, influencing legislation). Evaluation of anti-smoking programs so far has only been fragmentary, showing some circumstantial evidence for a trend towards non-smoking. It is planned to evaluate the impact of future programs by periodical surveys of representative samples of the adult population, monitoring knowledge of the hazards of smoking, attitudes towards smoking, motivation for change of behavior as well as the actual smoking habits.