BACKGROUND-AIM:
The Danish Cancer Society’s tobacco and nicotine prevention efforts are grounded in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC). Since 2017, the initiative has centered on a positive, future-oriented narrative focused on protecting children and young people, developed in collaboration with more than 300 partner organizations. Despite significant policy achievements, the tobacco and nicotine industry has rapidly expanded its market with new products appealing to youth. Currently, 29% of 15–17-year-olds use at least one tobacco or nicotine product. This development necessitated a shift from the previous goal—no youth smoking and ≤5% adult smoking by 2030—to an endgame ambition of fully protecting all generations by phasing out commercial sales of tobacco and nicotine products by 2035. The aim was to reframe the national narrative from tobacco and nicotine control toward establishing a political mandate for ending the commercial sale of tobacco and nicotine products in Denmark by 2035.

METHODS:
The endgame vision was launched in Danish media in September 2025 in partnership with nine national health and civil-society organizations. The campaign included advertisements in major newspapers and extensive media coverage. Subsequently, five additional organizations joined the initiative, and then the endgame approach was integrated into the Smoke and Nicotine Free Future partnership comprising more than 300 partners. Communication efforts were informed by a qualitative study of public attitudes toward different dimensions of phasing out tobacco and nicotine, supplemented by a quantitative survey assessing public support for an endgame strategy.

RESULTS:
The qualitative findings guided a communication strategy centered on protecting children, young people, and future generations, and on presenting a gradual, stepwise phase-out of tobacco and nicotine sales. This approach successfully mobilized key Danish stakeholders, including organizations representing both children and older adults—groups whose involvement strengthened public legitimacy. The narrative emphasized the potential to eliminate peer pressure in schools, reduce nicotine-related harms among youth, and highlighted that older adults also support ending tobacco and nicotine sales for the benefit of current and future generations and that the phase-out of tobacco and nicotine was not perceived as burdensome for older adults.

CONCLUSIONS:
An ambitious tobacco and nicotine endgame goal can gain substantial support when communicated through focus on children and youth and a gradual phase-out strategy and backed by a broad coalition representing diverse population groups, particularly children and older adults. Future efforts will focus on sustained advocacy to secure political commitment to ending the commercial sale of tobacco and nicotine in Denmark.