Sweden, which is on the brink of being officially smoke free and has significantly lower smoking rates than Poland, has adopted a system of taxation proportionate to the risk of alternative products. In practice, this means that the rates of taxation for nicotine pouches are, on average, 30 kroner (€2.65) cheaper than cigarettes, because they pose only a fraction of the risk.

Furthermore, says Smoke Free Sweden, making alternative nicotine products a more affordable choice is one of the factors in Sweden’s dramatic reduction in smoking rates, which have fallen from 15% to 5.6% over the past 15 years.

Meanwhile in Poland, smoking rates are 26%, compared with a European average of 23%.

The Smoke Free Sweden movement is urging the Polish government to rethink nicotine product taxation and adopt an approach that will incentivise smokers to make a less risky choice.

Dr. Delon Human, leader of the Smoke Free Sweden initiative and former Health Advisor to three WHO Directors-General, said: “The Polish government must follow Sweden’s lead and implement a system of taxation that accurately reflects the relative risk of each product. This approach works: Sweden is on the verge of becoming officially smoke free because safer alternatives are an affordable option.

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