Sweden Becomes World’s First Officially “Smoke-Free” Country
Sweden has become the world’s first officially “smoke-free” China, according to government data released by the country. Thanks to the reduction strategies of vapes and tobacco tar alternatives, its success has reduced smoking rates to a historic low of just 4.5 percent.
According to reports on November 13, Sweden has become the first official “smoke-free” China in history, according to government data released by Sweden. Sweden’s achievement is 16 years ahead of the EU target and most other member states are likely to still struggle to meet it, the agency said.
Nicotine substitutes like vapes help reduce smoking rate to 4.5 percent
According to official health data released by the Swedish Public Health Agency, the percentage of adult smokers in the country is only 4.5 percent, far below the internationally accepted standard of 5 percent smoke-free. The average smoking rate in European countries is 24%, five times that of Sweden.
According to Dr. Delon Human, director of Smoke-Free Sweden,
- “This outstanding achievement is not only an important moment for global public health but also demonstrates the effectiveness of policies that support Sweden’s progressive approach to cigarette control.” In the early 1960s, nearly half of Swedish men smoked. However, by accepting and encouraging the use of snus, tobacco tar bags, and vapes to replace tobacco tar products, Sweden has laid a clear path to creating a smoke-free society while ensuring public health.”
- “While Sweden celebrates this historic achievement, most countries around the world remain far from smoke-free targets. Their stringent bans restrict access to safer alternatives, such as oral tobacco, tar products, and vapes, and push smokers away from these potentially life-saving tools, impeding the process of reducing tobacco harm.”
- “Not only have these countries not followed Sweden, but they have moved in the opposite direction, with smoking rates stagnating or even rising. Sweden’s success is vivid proof that replacing tobacco tar products, supported by evidence-based policies, is a powerful force for positive change.”
Smoke-free Sweden calls on all countries to reassess their approach to cigarette control and to make harm reduction a key pillar of the fight against smoking. Sweden’s smoke-free status should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers around the world: Based on scientific advances, nicotine replacement policies can promote smoking as a thing of the past without sacrificing public health goals.”
The data shows that the smoking rate of all adults in Sweden is 5.3%, including immigrants. In addition, these data show that if they did not move to Sweden, the average person born in another European country would be three times more likely to smoke.
Dr. Anders Milton, former president of the Swedish Medical Association, said,
- “The key to Sweden’s success has been the harm reduction strategy used, rather than the strict ban. A variety of safer tobacco tar products, available in a variety of strengths and flavors, are legally available online and offline, and advertising can raise everyone’s awareness and encourage people to use them.”
- “The Swedish government has also instituted a proportional excise tax that makes smokeless products less expensive than tobacco. This tax policy, combined with public education campaigns, enables Swedes to make healthier choices and promotes the country’s leadership in reducing the harm caused by cigarettes.”
The agency said the profits from the Swedish strategy were huge, with the lowest proportion of tobacco-related diseases in the EU and a 41 percent lower incidence of cancer than the rest of Europe.
Latest public health data query for Sweden: https://fohm-app.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/Folkhalsodata/pxweb/sv/A_Folkhalsodata/A_Folkhalsodata__B_HLV__aLevvanor__aagLevvanortobak/hlv1tobcfod.px/
