Tag: Smoke Free Sweden

EU Tobacco Strategy Failing: Critics

Image: Dzmitry
Restrictive policies on safer nicotine alternatives are hindering progress in the EU’s battle against smoking, according to Smoke Free Sweden.
A recent analysis by the group revealed that, at current rates, the EU will not meet its “smoke free” target for another 76 years.
Smoke Free Sweden contrasts the situation in Sweden, where regulatory accommodation of a lower-risk nicotine products—snus—has led to record-low smoking rates, with that in the remainder of the EU, where snus is banned and regulators have cracked down on other alternative products, such as e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products.
According to Smoke Free Sweden, widespread resistance to safer alternatives in other nations has pushed the EU’s average smoking rate five times higher than Sweden’s.
“It is time for the EU to recognize that restrictive policies on safer nicotine alternatives are costing lives,” said Delon Human, lead author of the report Missing The Target in a statement.
“The data clearly show that countries prioritizing harm reduction are achieving the smoke free goals that remain a distant dream for other member states. Only by embracing safer alternatives can the EU hope to reverse the current trends, save lives and achieve its long-awaited smoke free goal.”

The data clearly show that countries prioritizing harm reduction are achieving the smoke free goals that remain a distant dream for other member states.
Delon Human, lead author, Missing the Target
According to Smoke Free Sweden, Missing The Target uncovers fundamental flaws in the EU’s approach to achieving its goal of a 5 percent smoking rate by 2040. The 5 percent rate is the internationally recognized benchmark for “smoke free” status.
At its current rate, EU smoking prevalence is projected to drop below 5 percent by 2100, the report found.
What’s more, in nations with severe restrictions on safer nicotine alternatives, cigarette smoking has not only persisted but, in some cases, increased. Estonia, where vape flavors are banned, has seen a staggering 38.89 percent rise in smoking—evidence, according to Smoke Free Sweden, that restrictive policies may be backfiring dramatically.
By contrast, Sweden is on the brink of achieving its smoke-free target 16 years ahead of the EU’s goal. The key to its success, according to Smoke Free Sweden, lies in making safer nicotine alternatives accessible, acceptable and affordable. The widespread availability of alternatives such as snus, nicotine pouches and vapes has driven smoking rates down to near smoke-free levels.
Likewise, Czechia’s embrace of tobacco harm reduction (THR) principles has contributed to a 23 percent drop in smoking rates over the past four years, Missing the Target points out.
“The EU’s current tobacco control policy—relying heavily on taxation, smoking bans and product regulations—has produced only incremental reductions in smoking,” said report co-author Anders Milton, a physician and former president of the Swedish Medical Association.
“A growing body of evidence points to the need for a modernized, evidence-based framework that embraces safer alternatives as part of a comprehensive THR strategy.”
November 6, 2024
UK Urged to Drop Proposed Vape Tax Hike

Delon Human (Photo: Taco Tuinstra)
A plan to hike the tax on vapes in the U.K. risks undermining the country’s efforts to reduce smoking rates and would increase smoking-related death and disease, according to tobacco harm reduction advocates.
The U.K. chancellor is reportedly considering the tax increase in the state budget this month. But harm reduction specialists say any rise could drive people who smoke back to far more dangerous cigarettes.
“Vapes are proven to be 95 percent less harmful than combustible cigarettes and are helping millions of people who smoke worldwide transition to a safer option,” says Delon Human, leader of Smoke Free Sweden.
“Both Sweden and New Zealand have dramatically reduced their smoking rates in large part due to the availability and accessibility of alternative nicotine products like vapes. As a result, both countries are now on the verge of being declared smoke-free and are reaping the subsequent public health dividend.
“Any policy that limits access to these alternatives—whether through taxation or other barriers—threatens to reverse such progress.”
Sweden is poised to be the first country to become smoke-free as a result of its progressive policy approach, which includes lowering taxes on reduced-risk products while increasing taxes on more harmful cigarettes.
Compared to the rest of the European Union, Sweden has 44 percent fewer smoking-related deaths, a 41 percent lower cancer rate and 38 percent fewer deaths attributable to any cancer, notes Smoke Free Sweden
“At Smoke Free Sweden, we advocate for sensible regulations that protect adult access to safer alternatives while discouraging underage uptake,” Human said. “This includes restrictions on youth-oriented packaging and clear communication about the risks of nicotine.
“However, excessive taxation of harm reduction products is a step in the wrong direction. Rather than penalizing vapers, governments should focus on creating an environment where adults have easy access to safer alternatives and are supported in their efforts to quit smoking.
“We urge the U.K. government to reconsider this proposed tax increase and to look toward evidence-based policies that have been successful in Sweden and other progressive nations. The world now has the tools to create a healthier, smoke-free future. We must not sacrifice those tools, which are already helping millions of people quit smoking for good.”
October 22, 2024
‘Ireland’s Vape Tax Puts Smokers’ Lives at Risk’

Photo: Taco Tuinstra
Ireland’s new tax on e-cigarettes is a setback in the fight against tobacco, condemning thousands of smokers to unnecessary premature death, according to international health experts.
This week, the Irish government announced a levy of €0.50 per ml of e-liquid as part of its annual budget, adding €1.23 to the cost of a typical vape. This tax is far above the European average of €0.10 to €0.30.
“Sweden is on the brink of achieving smoke-free status as a result of its progressive approach to safer alternatives like vaping. This contrasts sharply with Ireland’s approach, where smoking rates remain four times higher,” said Delon Human, leader of Smoke Free Sweden, in a statement.
“Sweden’s successful policies, including lower taxes on safer nicotine alternatives, have helped reduce smoking and smoking-related deaths. In stark contrast, Ireland’s new levy will discourage smokers from switching to less harmful options, potentially keeping them addicted to cigarettes and condemning them to unnecessary premature death.”
According to a recent Irish public consultation, only 10 percent of respondents supported increasing taxes on vaping above the EU average, while 39 percent warned that higher prices would push consumers to source products abroad.
Through the promotion of safer alternatives like snus, nicotine pouches and vapes, Sweden has reduced its smoking rates by 55 percent over the past decade, resulting in a staggering 44 percent fewer tobacco-related deaths compared to the rest of the European Union.
“By raising taxes on safer alternatives, Ireland jeopardizes its hopes of reducing smoking rates,” Humans said. “If Ireland truly wants to cut smoking and save lives, it should follow Sweden’s lead in promoting harm reduction, not penalize smokers for trying to quit.”
October 6, 2024
Smoking Decline Traced to Noncombustibles

Photo: Natalia
Sweden’s smoking rate is poised to dip below 5 percent, a share that is widely considered the hallmark of a “smoke-free” society, reports The Business Mirror.
Only 5.6 percent of Swedish adults smoked cigarettes in 2022, down from 49 percent of men in 1960, according Sweden’s public health agency. As a result, Sweden has 52 percent fewer tobacco-related male deaths than Poland and 57 percent fewer than Romania. For male lung cancer, Sweden has significantly fewer deaths than France, Germany, Italy and Poland.
A report titled “No Smoke Less Harm” by the advocacy group Smoke Free Sweden attributes this achievement to Sweden’s openness to alternative nicotine products, such as snus.
The report points out that smoking-related diseases are caused primarily by the byproducts of tobacco combustion rather than nicotine, as many mistakenly assume.

The Swedish experience demonstrates the importance of understanding public misperceptions about nicotine to develop health policies that better protect and inform consumers.
Karl Fagerström, co-author, ‘No Smoke Less Harm’
While nearly one in four Swedish adults still use nicotine daily, in line with European averages, Sweden boasts far lower rates of tobacco-related deaths (44 percent), cancer rates (41 percent) and cancer deaths (38 percent) than the rest of the European Union.
Smoke Free Sweden’s report appeals for the World Health Organization and global public health communities to acknowledge that combustible products, not nicotine, cause harm to smokers.
“While nicotine is addictive, it does not cause the serious diseases associated with smoking,” Fagerström said. “Our findings support a shift in focus from cessation to substitution with less harmful alternatives for those unable to quit completely.”
June 3, 2024
Regulators Urged to Distinguish Combustibles and Smoke-Free

Photo: Finn Bjurvoll Hansen
A study released on May 7 adds further evidence that the harm from nicotine use is determined primarily by the consumption method.
Titled No Smoke, Less Harm, the report details rates of nicotine usage in Sweden and a number of comparable countries, finding that nicotine use was not a factor in tobacco-related disease.
Karl Fagerstrom
While nicotine consumption in Sweden mirrors the European average, the country reports a 41 percent lower incidence of lung cancer and fewer than half the tobacco-related deaths of its European peers. This stark contrast is attributed to the widespread adoption of smoke-free nicotine products such as snus, nicotine pouches and electronic cigarettes.
“This distinction between smoking and the use of smokeless products is crucial,” says Karl Fagerstrom, a public health expert and contributor to the report.
“While nicotine is addictive, it does not cause the serious diseases associated with smoking. Our findings support a shift in focus from cessation to substitution with less harmful alternatives for those unable to stop completely.”
According to the authors, Sweden’s proactive measures in public health education and regulatory frameworks have encouraged a transition to these alternatives, significantly impacting public health outcomes. The report points out that embracing similar harm reduction strategies could be pivotal for other nations striving to reduce the health impacts of tobacco.
“The Swedish experience demonstrates that understanding and addressing public misperceptions about nicotine can lead to health policies that better protect and inform consumers,” said Fagerstrom.
May 8, 2024
Brazil Urged to Embrace Harm Reduction

Photo: Taco Tuinstra
Brazil could prevent almost 1.4 million premature deaths—equivalent to the population of Porto Alegre—by implementing Sweden’s tobacco harm reduction (THR) strategy, according to a new report to be presented in Brasilia by Smoke Free Sweden today.
Currently, Brazil has a smoking rate of 13.4 percent, well above the World Health Organization’s official “smoke-free” threshold of 5 percent. This means almost 16,000 Brazilians die each month from preventable diseases.
Sweden, by contrast, is on track to become officially “smoke-free,” with smoking rates only just above 5 percent.
This translates into the lowest cancer rates in Europe and reduced mortality from smoking. According to the report’s authors, a significant part of this success story is Sweden’s measured approach to reducing the harm associated with smoking through the use of reduced-risk alternative products such as vaping and nicotine pouches.
“Although smoking continues to be the leading preventable cause of premature death worldwide, conventional methods in tobacco control have reached a standstill,” said principal author Derek Yach in a statement.
“Policymakers in Brazil need to acknowledge the pivotal role of tobacco harm reduction products, which are already being utilized by 150 million individuals worldwide, in addressing this urgent crisis.”
“Tobacco control alone is not enough when it comes to combating high smoking levels,” said Delon Human, leader of the Smoke Free Sweden movement and a key contributor to the report.
“It must be complemented by a comprehensive set of harm reduction measures. This includes the accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of less harmful alternatives like vaping and nicotine pouches.
“Public health entities in Brazil should seize the opportunity for global replication of Sweden’s successful approach. Together, we can work towards a smoke free world and ensure the well-being of future generations.”
Brazil’s Federal Senate is currently considering a bill on the regulation of electronic cigarettes, which have been banned in the country for more than a decade.
April 10, 2024
Expert Condemns Kazakh Vape Ban

Delon Human (Photo: Taco Tuinstra)
Leading international public health experts have expressed serious concern about Kazakhstan’s imminent ban on vapes as a “backward step” that contradicts the unprecedented success of more progressive countries that are dramatically reducing tobacco’s toll through the use of alternative nicotine products.
The Kazakh government’s intention to enact the prohibition by Jan. 1, 2024, endangers the lives of the country’s 3.2 million smokers who will be deprived of their best chance to quit their deadly habit, according to the Smoke Free Sweden, a movement highlighting Sweden’s progress in becoming smoke-free.
“We note with great concern this retrogressive move by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Health, which defies the extraordinary achievements of some countries that have adopted a progressive approach to modern products such as vapes and oral pouches,” said Delon Human, a global health advocate and founder of Smoke Free Sweden, in a statement.
“Around the world, alternative nicotine products are helping to save millions of lives by giving smokers an escape from combustible cigarettes. They are proven to be at least 95 percent less harmful than cigarettes and the most effective way for smokers to quit.
“To ban these reduced-risk products will simply condemn many smokers to stick with cigarettes and sentence them to an unnecessarily premature death.”
Human urged Kazakh authorities to emulate the approach of Sweden, which is on course to drop below a 5 percent tobacco smoking prevalence in the next few months. This is the level at which a country is considered officially smoke-free.
Sweden is the first EU country to achieve this milestone—17 years ahead of schedule—through its policy of making vapes and pouches available, acceptable and affordable to adult smokers.
“Quitting smoking like Sweden saves lives,” says Human. “Compared to the rest of Europe, Sweden has 44 percent fewer tobacco-related deaths, a cancer rate that is 41 percent lower, and 38 percent fewer deaths attributable to any cancer.
“Sweden is leading the way for other nations, such as the United Kingdom where the health service is giving free vape kits to smokers to help them quit. The government is funding the ‘swap to stop’ scheme with the aim of turning the country smoke-free by 2030.
“Meanwhile, only last month, the largest study of its kind in the United States confirmed the immense value of vapes as cessation aids. Researchers at Hollings Cancer Center in South Carolina found that vapes nudged people towards quitting smoking – even those who had entered their trial saying they had no intention of quitting.
“Such evidence is compelling and should be ignored no longer. If Kazakh authorities are serious about saving lives, they should be following the science and offering affordable access to vapes, instead of blocking this proven ‘fire escape’ for smokers,” concluded Human.
September 14, 2023