Stories

Sweden has reduced smoking rates successfully through innovation, legislation, and consumer empowerment, achieving a smoking rate of 4.5%. The use of snus, a smokeless alternative, and modern nicotine pouches has played a key role. Lessons from Sweden's approach emphasize harm reduction and empowering individuals with better choices. While Sweden has Europe's lowest lung cancer rate, replicating their model globally could save millions of lives. Challenges exist due to bans on snus and nicotine pouches in EU countries, hindering harm reduction efforts. Ensuring access to information about harm and allowing informed choices could lead to further reductions in smoking rates. Sweden's progress continues with tax policies favoring safer nicotine products and aims to phase out cigarettes entirely.

Among the numerous controversial bills signed by Trump in his first few days as re-elected President of the United States, is one which would withdraw the States from the World Health Organization (WHO). What impact is this expected to have on tobacco harm reduction (THR)? Experts in the field Clive Bates and Michael Landl discuss.

The proportion of people being diagnosed with lung cancer who have never smoked is increasing, with air pollution an “important factor”, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency has said.

The UK Vaping Industry Association says smokers need more help to quit as new report shows one in 20 adults smoke and vape.

The argument that “vaping is just as risky as smoking” has been used to justify proposals for an extreme clampdown on vaping in South Africa. The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, for example, makes no distinction between the two categories, despite independent scientific opinion that vaping poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking, according to the UK Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.

Advocacy organisations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia Pacific - In a united effort, representing millions of adult consumers who use nicotine products that do not involve combustion, have sent a letter to the Special Rapporteur to the United Nations Human Rights Council. The correspondence addresses recent comments made in a recent report regarding the validity of Tobacco Harm Reduction and urges the United Nations to recognize its importance in promoting public health.

Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool saw the first teenage patients at its new vaping cessation service in January. The locally commissioned clinic – set up to help nicotine-dependent 11- to 15-year-olds to stop vaping – is thought to be the first NHS service of its kind in England.

South Australia has drawn a firm line against the rise of nicotine pouches, making it the first state in the country to outlaw the small but potent packets under newly strengthened legislation.

In the U.S. and across the world, the increase in vaping has led to a significant drop in smoking rates. Sadly, instead of celebrating the fact that most smokers have shifted to using a proven safer alternative, authorities are in most cases just fixating on the increase in vaping.

On 23rd January, the joint committee responsible for shaping the legislation approved a bill amending the Code of Public Health to enforce the ban. The bill will be examined by the Senate (upper house of Parliament) during the second week of February.