A cigarette doesn't scream. It doesn't stagger like alcohol. It doesn't wreak havoc in sudden bursts of aggression. And yet - it is the one that quietly kills over 70,000 Poles a year. Nicotine, although legal and packaged in fashionable sachets or stylish e-cigarettes, is one of the most potent drugs known to science. And although we have known for decades how deadly it can be, Poland is still unable to combat it effectively.
With the growing problem of addiction among the youngest, from computer games to social media to psychoactive substances, society needs to consider how to protect children and young people.