Sweden becomes the world’s first ‘smoke-free’ country

• Sweden has become the world’s first smoke-free country.
• Daily smoking in Sweden has fallen to 3.7 percent.
• Snus has played a major role in replacing smoking in Sweden.
• Nicotine pouches have also become more popular in recent years.
• Sweden has low lung cancer rates and fewer tobacco-related deaths than the European Union average.
• In 2025, Sweden raised cigarette taxes and reduced tax on snus.
• The article says evidence-based policy helped reduce smoking.
• Sweden’s experience shows that lower-risk alternatives can help adult smokers move away from cigarettes.

This article matters because Sweden offers a practical example of how smoking can fall sharply when adult smokers have access to lower-risk alternatives. It also shows that policy choices can either support or slow public health progress.

This article is important for public health because smoking causes serious disease and death. Sweden’s experience suggests that reducing cigarette use through lower-risk alternatives may reduce lung cancer, tobacco-related deaths, and long-term harm.

The article supports evidence-based tobacco policy. It suggests that governments should consider how taxes, access, regulation, and public information can help smokers move away from cigarettes while still protecting young people and non-smokers.

This explainer is based on the provided article text and the original source link. The original article was written by Kiran Sidhu and published by Filter Magazine.

Sweden has become the world’s first “smoke-free” country, with a daily smoking rate of just 3.7 percent. This is below the internationally accepted smoke-free threshold of 5 percent.

The data was reported by the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs in 2025. The report was released on April 1.

Dr. Karl Fagerström, a professor and clinical psychologist known for creating the Fagerström Test for nicotine dependence, welcomed the news. He credited Sweden’s evidence-based health policies for helping the country reach this point.

The role of snus

Sweden has a long history of using snus, an oral lower-risk nicotine product. Snus use has largely replaced smoking in the country and became more common than smoking in the 1990s.

Snus users place a tobacco-filled pouch under the lip. The pouch slowly releases nicotine without burning tobacco and without inhaling cigarette smoke.

This is important because most of the serious harm from smoking comes from burning tobacco and inhaling smoke. Snus avoids combustion and reduces exposure to many toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke.

Public health benefits

The article explains that Sweden has had the lowest lung cancer rate in the European Union for several years.

A 2024 report showed that Sweden’s overall cancer rate was 41 percent lower than the European Union average. Tobacco-related deaths were also 44 percent lower.

In recent years, nicotine pouches have also become more popular. These pouches work in a similar way to snus but do not contain tobacco. They have become especially popular among women, whose use of traditional snus has been lower than men’s.

Tax policy and smoking decline

In January 2025, Sweden increased tax on cigarettes by 10 percent and reduced tax on snus by 20 percent.

Dr. Fagerström said this policy helped speed up the decline in smoking and saved people from unnecessary suffering and death.

The new report shows that Sweden’s smoking rate has fallen sharply since 2013, while use of lower-risk nicotine products has increased. This suggests that many smokers moved from cigarettes to safer alternatives.

Young adults and lower-risk products

Daily smoking among people aged 18 to 29 is now only 2.9 percent in Sweden.

Use of snus and nicotine pouches in this age group is much higher, at 29 percent. This suggests that many people who might have smoked are instead using lower-risk nicotine products.

Lessons for other countries

Suely Castro, founder of Quit Like Sweden, said Sweden’s success shows what can happen when policy follows evidence instead of politics.

She said Sweden’s 67 percent drop in smoking since 2012 should be seen as a strong example for other countries.

The article contrasts Sweden’s progress with the wider European Union, where smoking has fallen much more slowly. Snus is banned in the European Union, except in Sweden, which received a permanent exemption when it joined the bloc in 1995.

Can other countries repeat Sweden’s success?

The article explains that Sweden’s success is shaped by its long acceptance of snus and by policies that made alternatives to smoking accessible, acceptable, and affordable.

Other countries may not have the same history with snus, but the principle is simple: when smokers have access to lower-risk options, many switch.

The article also gives examples from other countries. In the United Kingdom, many smokers have quit cigarettes with the help of vapes. In Norway, snus has helped reduce smoking. In New Zealand, vaping has helped the country move close to smoke-free status. In Japan, heated tobacco products have helped reduce cigarette sales.

Conclusion

Dr. Fagerström said nicotine is not a health product, but it is difficult to eliminate all nicotine use. He argued that the practical goal should be to reduce risks as much as possible.

The article concludes that Sweden’s experience offers an important lesson for public health. Giving adult smokers access to lower-risk nicotine products can help reduce smoking and save lives.

Original source: Filter Magazine