Sweden's experience in innovative alternatives opens doors to a smoke-free future

Sweden has provided a pioneering model in the pursuit of a smoke-free future, by adopting a harm reduction strategy and use of less harmful nicotine alternatives. While many countries are still struggling to reduce smoking rates, Sweden is close to becoming the first smoke-free country as defined by the World Health Organisation, meaning less than 5 per cent of the adult population smokes.

This shift was not born of the moment, but rather the result of a gradual decline in smoking rates over two decades, driven by continuous awareness campaigns and the availability of less harmful alternatives such as traditional snus and tobacco-free nicotine pouches, emphasising that the way nicotine is consumed plays a crucial role in health effects, not nicotine itself.

This approach has contributed to tangible health outcomes in Sweden, where smoking rates have fallen by 55 per cent over the past decade. This has resulted in a 38 per cent reduction in the mortality rate among men from tobacco consumption in Sweden, compared to the average rate of tobacco-related deaths in neighbouring European countries, as well as a 41 per cent reduction in the rate of lung cancer. Sweden is the only European country that allows nicotine pouches to be commercialised and used, and about 18 per cent of the population consumes them, reflecting a shift in public attitude towards less harmful products.

Can the experience be replicated?

Despite cultural and legislative differences, the Swedish experience offers a model that can be studied and applied. Rather than being satisfied with prevention policies, Sweden has adopted a realistic approach that balances awareness and the provision of alternatives, based on high societal awareness, trust in health institutions, and a regulated market.

What sets the experiment apart is not only the decline in the number of adult smokers, but the way it was achieved. Instead of relying on bans, it has opened the door to less harmful alternatives, foremost among them nicotine pouches, which are an effective tool to reduce cigarette use. It should be noted that these products are not considered risk-free and contain nicotine, which is addictive but is not considered the main cause of smoking-related diseases.

With public health systems around the world increasingly challenged, Sweden's experience stands out as practical evidence that change is possible when there is societal awareness and policy innovation. Rather than just warning about the dangers of smoking, Sweden has chosen to empower individuals to make more informed decisions by providing less harmful alternatives. Although this approach doesn’t eliminate risks, it reduces them significantly, which could be a starting point for other countries looking for realistic and sustainable solutions for the problem of chronic smoking.

Everyone around the world agrees that quitting smoking is always the best option any smoker can take. However, some argue that the use of alternative tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches can help large numbers of adult smokers who do not quit smoking reduce its harm.

Sweden's experience opens a global debate about realistic policies to reduce the harms of tobacco. While opinions differ on alternatives, innovation and flexibility in legislation remain key elements in the face of one of the most harmful habits of modern times.

– In association with Philip Morris Management Services (Middle East)