Sweden’s Public Health Agency endangers anti-smoking progress 

Stockholm – 3.7.2023. The Swedish Public Health Agency, Folkhälsomyndigheten, has called 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. 

Commenting on the recommendation, Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA), said:

“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.”

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.

“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”, added Landl.

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

ENDS

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Press contact: 

Michael Landl
Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance
michael@worldvapersalliance.com
+43 664 8412957
TR ID: 766884047993-79

Notes to editor:

• The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) amplifies the voice of vapers worldwide and empowers them to make a difference in their communities. Our members are vapers associations and individual vapers from all over the world. More information on www.worldvapersalliance.com 
• Michael Landl is the director of the World Vapers’ Alliance. He is from Austria and is based in Vienna. He is an experienced policy professional and a passionate vaper. He studied at the University of St. Gallen and worked for several public policy outlets and in the German Parliament.