Tag: Smoke Free Sweden

  • Sweden First Country to ‘Officially’ be Smoke Free

    Sweden First Country to ‘Officially’ be Smoke Free

    Credit: Summit Art Creations

    Today, the Swedish government released data showing that Swedes have made history by officially becoming the first country to be ‘smoke-free’.

    Swedes have hit the remarkable milestone 16 years ahead of the European Union target – while most of the EU’s fellow member states are set to miss it by some distance.

    Official health data released by Sweden’s public health agency show that just 4.5% of Swedish-born adults smoke – significantly below the globally recognized benchmark of 5% for smoke-free status.

    Average smoking rates in Europe (24%) are five times higher than Sweden’s.

    The Swedes’ extraordinary success results from their pioneering policy approach to safer cigarette alternatives, according to press releases.

    Dr. Delon Human, leader of Smoke-Free Sweden, said the outstanding achievement marks a significant moment in global public health and stands as a testament to the progressive policies that have guided Sweden’s approach to tobacco control.

    “In the early 1960s, nearly half of Swedish men smoked. By embracing and encouraging the use of alternative nicotine products such as snus, oral nicotine pouches and vapes, Sweden has paved a clear path to a smoke-free society while safeguarding public health,” he said. “They should serve as a beacon of hope for the rest of the world and as inspirational proof that a pragmatic, enlightened approach can deliver sensational public health gains and save lives.”

    The new statistics show that 5.3% of all adults in Sweden, including immigrants, currently smoke. Remarkably, the data also reveals that people born elsewhere in Europe would be three times more likely to smoke if they had not moved to Sweden.

    Dr. Anders Milton, a physician, former president, and CEO of the Swedish Medical Association, said that the key to Sweden’s success is its pragmatic focus on harm reduction rather than prohibition.

    “A wide range of safer nicotine products, with a variety of strengths and flavours, is legally available both online and in stores, supported by advertising, which raises awareness and encourages uptake,” he said. “The Swedish government also applies a proportional excise tax, keeping smoke-free products more affordable than cigarettes.

    “This tax policy, coupled with public education campaigns, has empowered Swedish consumers to make healthier choices and contributed to the country’s leading role in tobacco harm reduction.”

    The benefits of Sweden’s strategy are enormous, with the country having the lowest percentage of tobacco-related diseases in the EU and a 41% lower incidence of cancer than other European countries.

    “While Sweden celebrates this historic achievement, most other nations remain far from reaching their smoke-free goals,” said Human. “Their rigid, prohibitionist policies limit access to safer nicotine alternatives, including oral nicotine products and e-cigarettes. These regressive measures are pushing smokers away from potentially life-saving tools and stalling progress toward reducing tobacco harm.

    “Rather than follow Sweden’s lead, these nations are heading in the opposite direction, with smoking prevalence stagnating or even rising. Sweden’s success is living proof that alternative nicotine products are a powerful force for positive change when supported by evidence-based policies.

    “Smoke-Free Sweden calls on all countries to re-evaluate their tobacco control strategies and adopt harm reduction as a central pillar in their fight against smoking. Sweden’s smoke-free status should be a wake-up call to policymakers across the globe: progressive, science-backed policies on nicotine alternatives can make smoking history without sacrificing public health goals.”

  • UK Urged to Drop Proposed Vaping Tax Hike

    UK Urged to Drop Proposed Vaping 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 penalising 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 towards 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.”

  • ‘Ireland’s Vape Tax Puts Smokers’ Lives at Risk’

    ‘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.”

  • Experts: Ignoring THR a ‘Death Sentence’ for Smokers

    Experts: Ignoring THR a ‘Death Sentence’ for Smokers

    VV Archives

    International health experts have warned that governments of the world are condemning millions to die if they continue to ignore the benefits of tobacco harm reduction (THR) policies.

    In an open letter to delegates at the United Nations General Assembly, Delon Human of Smoke Free Sweden, along with other leading THR specialists, call for THR to be incorporated into standard tobacco control measures worldwide.

    By doing so, millions of lives could be saved from smoking-related diseases, the letter states.

    The experts’ letter points to real-world evidence, particularly from Sweden, which proves the success of THR policies. 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.

    “Sweden’s achievement underscores the effectiveness of harm reduction policies in not only saving lives but also reducing the strain on healthcare systems,” Human said. “Their success serves as a blueprint for other nations.”

    The letter also highlights New Zealand’s progress, where the Ministry of Health endorsed vaping as a cessation tool in 2019. Since then, New Zealand’s smoking rates have nearly halved, positioning the country as another example of how THR can drive down smoking-related deaths and diseases.

    While countries like Sweden and New Zealand lead the way, many other nations continue to struggle with high smoking rates while rejecting harm reduction. Countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa could witness similarly dramatic reductions in smoking-related mortality by adopting THR policies.

    A recent study cited in the letter estimates that Czechia alone could save 280,000 lives over the next four decades if it adopts THR strategies. Further studies report similar potential benefits in other nations including Brazil, Bangladesh, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

    “This is not about promoting nicotine use,” Human said. “It’s about offering safer choices to individuals who would otherwise continue smoking harmful cigarettes. We are on the cusp of a public health revolution, and THR has the potential to be a game-changer in saving millions of lives.”

    The letter, also signed by Derek Yach and Marewa Glover, calls on global leaders and the United Nations to prioritize THR as a crucial element of tobacco control, urging governments to act swiftly and decisively. “The evidence is clear,” the letter concludes. The time to act is now.”

  • Regulators Urged to Distinguish Combustibles and Smoke-Free

    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.

  • Health Expert Condemns Kazakhstan’s Vape Ban

    Health Expert Condemns Kazakhstan’s 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.