Smoking Down Among Danish Youth

Cigarette consumption among Danish youth has declined, but the use of nicotine products has increased, reports The Local Denmark.

Snus, nicotine pouches and vaping devices have become more popular with youth in Denmark, with 35.1 percent of 15-year-olds to 29-year-olds using these products daily or regularly, up from 26.3 percent in 2020.

Cigarette use fell to 19 percent from 20.1 percent while smoke-free nicotine product use increased to 12.9 percent from 9.1 percent, according to a study by Denmark’s National Institute of Public Health and the University of Southern Denmark on behalf of the Danish Health Authority.

“We also found that it is especially newer products, such as vaping devices and smoke-free nicotine products, that seem to be especially popular among very young people,” said Nanna Jarlstrup, one of the report’s researchers. “That is naturally concerning.”

“We are also unfortunately seeing use of some of the illegal products increasing. That is, for example, the new disposable vapes, Puff Bars,” Jarlstrup said.

“It’s not legal to sell them in Denmark, but we can see young people have access to them because they use them,” she said.

The number of people aged 15 to 17 who smoke has increased despite fewer people aged 18 to 24 smoking cigarettes daily or occasionally compared to 2020.

Denmark has banned smoking during school and further education hours and removed cigarettes from displays in stores as well as increased the price of a pack of cigarettes to help decrease smoking.