Read articles from Sweden

November 13, 2024 by worldvapersalliance.com

Sweden is set to become the first country in the world to achieve ‘smoke-free’ status when its tobacco smoking prevalence rate falls below 5% in the next few months. The Swedish Model has made tobacco harm reduction products as accessible, acceptable, and affordable as possible to adult smokers, effectively wiping out smoking in a country where 50 years ago, 49% of men were smoking regularly.

November 07, 2024 by clearingtheair.eu

Sweden is close to becoming the first 'smoke-free' country, with a smoking rate of 5.6%. Utilizing snus and vaping, the nation reduced smoking by 55% in a decade, far ahead of the EU average. Despite success, most EU countries overlook the benefits of harm-reducing alternatives. Sweden's proactive measures and reduced tax on snus have led to significantly lower tobacco-related deaths, outperforming the EU. In contrast, countries like Australia and Brazil facing strict vaping bans struggle with a surge in illegal trade. EU countries lacking accessible alternatives have seen minimal decline in smoking rates, underlining Sweden's progressive approach to public health.

October 31, 2024 by businessday.ng

Tobacco use remains a major global public health challenge, causing over 8 million deaths annually. Despite anti-smoking efforts, 1.1 billion people still smoke, especially in low-income countries. Sweden's success in becoming smoke-free involved public health campaigns and safer nicotine alternatives. Nigeria could benefit from adopting a harm reduction strategy, as not all smokers can quit. Safer alternatives like nicotine vapes can reduce smoking-related diseases. This approach saves lives and healthcare costs. Collaborative efforts are crucial in regulating and promoting these alternatives. By following Sweden's lead, Nigeria could achieve a smoke-free future and improve public health outcomes.

October 23, 2024 by protectingtaxpayers.org

Discussion surrounding oral nicotine products like Zyn and nicotine pouches prompts a rethink of public health policies. Concerns focus on youth use, yet evidence shows these alternatives carry lower risks than cigarettes, possibly overlooked amidst alarmist reactions. Positive results from the 2024 CDC Youth Tobacco Survey reveal minimal youth pouch use, contrasting sharply with vaping and alcohol rates. Studies suggest that focusing on reducing smoking, not nicotine use, is crucial. Learning from countries like Sweden, which has low smoking rates with smokeless tobacco, informs the debate. Balanced regulation that keeps both youth protection and harm reduction for adults in mind is essential for effective public health strategies.

October 23, 2024 by gfn.tv

Sweden's government now recognises that reduced risk nicotine products are key to the country's low smoking prevalence. A new risk proportionate tobacco policy is being devised, but there is opposition. Will tobacco harm reduction be fully integrated into Swedish legislation? Stefan Matthison fills us in on the current state of play.

October 21, 2024 by thegrocer.co.uk

Nicotine pouches are gaining popularity as smoke-free alternatives for adult smokers. In the UK, with 6.4 million adult smokers, these products present significant opportunities for retailers. Patrik Hildingsson from Swedish Match provides insights and guidance on responsibly tapping into this market. Key points include the growth potential of nicotine pouches, the popularity of ZYN products, and advice for retailers in supporting adult smokers towards a smoke-free future.

October 18, 2024 by clearingtheair.eu

New research in The Lancet indicates going smoke-free globally could save millions of lives by 2050, with life expectancy rising by one year for men and 0.2 years for women if smoking levels are reduced to under five percent. This would result in an additional 735 million healthy years for men and 141 million for women. Sweden and New Zealand, promoting vaping, aim to be the first smoke-free countries. Sweden's smoking rates have decreased by 55% due to policies supporting alternative nicotine products. New Zealand has halved its smoking rates in five years by promoting vaping as a safer option, with rates dropping from 16.4% in 2011 to six percent in 2023.

October 11, 2024 by vejpkollen.se

Johan Hultberg, a member of Sweden's Moderate Party, has long pushed for harm reduction in tobacco policy. Recent government budget plans show a shift towards this approach, focusing on reducing harm from nicotine use. Hultberg emphasizes the importance of differentiating between nicotine products based on their harm levels. With a change in policy objectives, efforts will target reducing medical and social harm caused by tobacco. This change aims to shape both national and international policies. Recent actions include lowering taxes on smokeless products while increasing them on cigarettes.

October 08, 2024 by smokefreesweden.org

Proposed Danish regulations may effectively ban 90% of nicotine pouches, pushing ex-smokers back to cigarettes, warn experts. Restrictions include flavours and capping nicotine levels far below international standards. Oral nicotine pouches are a safer alternative to smoking, with Sweden's successful harm reduction model showing a 55% smoking decrease. Denmark aims to outlaw 'king-size' cigarettes but limits nicotine in pouches. Experts urge for a progressive approach like Sweden's, emphasizing the importance of reduced-risk products in combating tobacco use. The proposals risk making pouches less appealing than cigarettes, hindering smokers' transition to safer options.

October 01, 2024 by nih.gov

In Sweden, there has been a massive transition from cigarette smoking to snus, the Swedish kind of low-toxicity oral tobacco. This product poses very little health risk compared to cigarettes, as illustrated by the fact that males in Sweden have Europe's lowest level of mortality attributable to smoking. The current investigation estimates how high the smoking-attributable mortality in Sweden would have been if there had been no snus in Sweden. It is made up by comparisons between observed Swedish data and two scenarios without snus: a group of comparable countries, and, a hypothetical Sweden with no snus use. Both comparisons suggest that around 3000 lives per year have been saved by the use of snus in Sweden.