Smoke-free by 2040: This is the goal of the EU countries, and Sweden is moving forward at a rapid pace. Health policy is based on three cornerstones.
Stockholm/Frankfurt - Smoking is considered one of the causal causes that lead to cancer. While Sweden will probably still manage to become the first country in the world to become "smoke-free" in 2023, Germany is still miles away from that.
EU target 17 years ahead of everyone else: Sweden to be the first country to be "smoke-free"?
If less than five percent of the population consumes tobacco, one can speak of a "smoke-free" society. This is the value that the entire EU is striving for - by 2040. But apart from Sweden, no country in the European Union is yet within reach of the goal. So how did the Scandinavian country do it?
A report by health experts provides clarity and provides figures that other EU countries can currently only dream of. The report, titled "The Swedish Experience: A roadmap for a smoke-free society," was presented at an international research seminar in Stockholm in mid-May. Authors include: Dr. Andreas Milton (former chairman of the Swedish Medical Association, the Swedish Red Cross and the World Medical Association), Prof. Karl Fagerström (lecturer and expert on addiction research and smoking cessation), Dr. Delon Human (physician specializing in global health issues).
A sign in the outdoor area of a Swedish restaurant indicates the smoking ban. Sweden wants to become completely smoke-free. © Steffen Trumpf/dpa
Swedish government cracks down: smoking bans at a glance
A cornerstone of the Swedish Way is the introduction of smoking bans in certain places:
- Since 2005, smoking has been banned in restaurants, pubs and bars in Sweden.
- Since 2019, Swedes are also no longer allowed to smoke in front of pubs. The extended smoking ban also included public playgrounds, bus stops and platforms. The law also included e-cigarettes.
Sweden's anti-smoking model: Acceptance of smoke-free products as less harmful alternatives
Another part of the Swedish model is the recommendations of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) - which includes, for example, the reduction of tobacco supply and demand. As an additional important element, the authors of the report describe the acceptance of smoke-free products as less harmful alternatives.
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In a press release, Dr Delon Human explained: "It's about combining tobacco control with harm reduction. There are no risk-free tobacco products, but e-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful compared to cigarettes. It is much better for a smoker to switch from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes or nicotine pouches than to continue smoking."
"Sweden has a very successful tobacco strategy that should be exported," said Prof. Fagerström. He added: "It would be of great benefit to the world if more countries adopted measures based on the Swedish model that reduce tobacco supply and demand, while including differentiated tax rates that provide financial incentives for smokers to switch from cigarettes to less harmful alternatives."
Tobacco Consumption in Germany: The Facts
In Germany, about 2018,85 people were diagnosed with cancer as a result of smoking in 000. Around 127,000 people have died from the health consequences of smoking. This corresponds to 13.3 percent of all deaths in Germany, according to the Tobacco Atlas 2020 from the German Cancer Research Center in the Helmholtt Association (DKFZ).
Other figures that emerge from this are: About one in four adults in this country smokes. In the 15-24 age group, almost one in five smokes. The Federal Ministry of Health writes that smoking is "the greatest preventable health risk".
Alternative to smoking: Snus popular and legal in Sweden - banned in the rest of the EU
One of these alternatives, which is very popular in Sweden, is snus. This is a smokeless tobacco product. The Swedes cannot call themselves "nicotine-free" with this alternative - similar to e-cigarettes. In 2022, it sparked an unexpected "Swexit" debate. The distribution of lozenge tobacco is prohibited in the EU, with the exception of Sweden. After all, when Sweden joined the EU in the 1990s, the government negotiated a special regulation for snus.
In an interview with Der Spiegel, Frankfurt-based addiction researcher Heino Stöver said: With access to alternative nicotine products – such as e-cigarettes or snus – Sweden has succeeded in "diversifying smoking cessation strategies". This is also confirmed by the most meaningful figures of the expert report:
- According to the study, Sweden has the lowest proportion of tobacco-related diseases in the EU.
- In addition, there is a 41 percent lower incidence of cancer compared to other European countries.
- The percentage of smokers in Sweden has fallen from 15 percent to 15.5 percent of the population within 6 years.
According to Stöver, health policy in Germany or other EU countries is "too one-dimensional", i.e. too strongly geared towards complete abstinence. In any case, the enormous advantages of Sweden's strategy speak for themselves. However, it remains questionable whether Germany and the rest of the EU will follow this example - or not. (mbr/SID)
