{"id":4448,"date":"2023-07-03T08:17:52","date_gmt":"2023-07-03T12:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldvapersalliance.com\/?p=4448"},"modified":"2023-07-03T08:18:09","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T12:18:09","slug":"swedens-pubic-health-agency-endangers-anti-smoking-progress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldvapersalliance.com\/eu\/swedens-pubic-health-agency-endangers-anti-smoking-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"Suediako Osasun Publikoko Agentziak arriskuan jartzen du erretzearen aurkako aurrerapena\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sweden’s Public Health Agency endangers anti-smoking progress\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Stockholm – 3.7.2023.<\/b> The Swedish Public Health Agency, Folkh\u00e4lsomyndigheten, has <\/span>called<\/span><\/a> for stronger regulation of nicotine products such as snus and e-cigarettes. According to the World Vapers ‘ Alliance, such recommendations are a step backwards for Sweden. It ignores crucial scientific evidence, consumer experience, and expert opinions and endangers Sweden’s anti-smoking progress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Commenting on the recommendation, Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA), said:<\/span><\/p>\n

“It is a tragedy for public health when a country’s leading health agency fails to acknowledge the harm reduction potential of snus and vaping. The main objective has been overlooked: reducing the number of smokers and tackling smoking-induced illnesses. Vaping is not smoking and must not be treated the same. Regulation must be drafted to encourage current smokers to switch to these less harmful alternatives.”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The availability and affordability of less harmful nicotine alternatives are one of the main drivers of the rapid decline of the smoking rate in Sweden. Sweden closed 2022 with a daily smokers rate of just 5.6 per cent – the lowest in the EU – and is expected to fall below a 5% smoking prevalence rate this year, 17 years ahead of the target set by the EU.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The Swedish open approach towards harm-reduction policies has proven effective: in the last decade, the smoking rate in Sweden has declined by 55%, and this year Sweden will become the first country in the world to become smoke-free. Surprisingly, the leading public health agency refuses to acknowledge this anti-smoking miracle. Instead, they peddle these worn-out and debunked theories, such as a gateway from vaping and snus to smoking. Science and reality simply disprove such claims”, <\/span><\/i>added Landl.<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>review of fifteen studies<\/span><\/a> on the gateway effect of vaping states, “<\/span>a true gateway effect in youths has not yet been demonstrated.” <\/span><\/i>Contrary, the highly regarded healthcare NGO Cochrane concluded in its latest <\/span>meta-review<\/span><\/a> of 78 studies that “<\/span>there is high certainty evidence that ECs [E-Cigarettes] with nicotine increase quit rates compared to NRT [nicotine replacement therapy].<\/span><\/i>“<\/span><\/p>\n

ENDS<\/span><\/p>\n

—<\/span><\/p>\n

Press contact:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michael Landl
\n<\/span>Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance
\n<\/span>michael@worldvapersalliance.com
\n<\/span>+43 664 8412957
\n<\/span>TR ID: 766884047993-79<\/span><\/p>\n

Notes to editor:<\/span><\/p>\n