According to a report by Business Mirror on June 3rd, Sweden is likely to become the world's first "smoke-free" country with a smoking rate of less than 5%.
According to data from the Swedish Public Health Agency, only 5.6% of Swedish adults smoked in 2022, which is lower than the 49% of men who smoked in 1960.
A report released by the smoke-free advocacy organization "Smoke Free Sweden" in Sweden credits the country's open attitude towards alternative nicotine products for significant health benefits. Despite nearly a quarter of Swedish adults consuming nicotine daily, which is comparable to the European average, Sweden has much lower tobacco-related mortality rates (44% lower), cancer incidence rates (41% lower), and cancer mortality rates (38% lower) than other EU countries.
The organization also calls on the World Health Organization (WHO) and the global public health community to recognize that it is the burning products, not nicotine itself, that harm smokers. Sweden's lower rates of smoking-related diseases are largely attributed to their preference for smokeless alternative tobacco products, such as snus, heated tobacco products, and e-cigarettes.
While nicotine can be addictive, it does not lead to serious smoking-related diseases. Our research findings support shifting the focus from quitting smoking to providing safer alternatives for those who are unable to quit completely.
In terms of male tobacco-related mortality rates, Sweden is 52% lower than Poland and 57% lower than Romania. Compared to France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, Sweden has seen a significant decrease in male lung cancer death rates. This study indicates that while smoking is clearly associated with high mortality rates, using oral nicotine pouches and smokeless alternatives do not pose similar health risks.
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