Sweden hits smoke-free goal of under 5% daily smokers

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Sweden met its target of becoming smoke-free in 2025 with less than 5% of the population smoking cigarettes daily, though a quarter of the population still used nicotine daily in some form, such as vapes and snus, a report showed Monday.

The number of daily smokers fell from 16 to 4.8% between 2003 and 2025, according to the report published by the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAN).

A country is considered smoke-free when less than 5% of its population are daily smokers.

A report by Sweden's Public Health Agency in 2024 put the number at 5.4%. Its next survey was to be conducted sometime in 2026.

According to the CAN report, women aged 50-84 were the largest group of daily cigarette smokers, at 6%.

Sweden's success in reducing cigarette smoking has largely been attributed to the widespread use of snus, or moist snuff, which is placed under the upper lip either in pouches or loose.

It can be made with tobacco or without, with the latter known as white snus which is often made with sweet flavorings that appeal to younger consumers.

Tobacco snus has been banned in the European Union since 1992, though Sweden negotiated an exemption when it joined the bloc three years later.

In 2025, 24% of Swedes used nicotine daily, via cigarettes, snus or vapes, the CAN report showed, with around 19% using some form of snus daily, up from 12% in 2007.

The largest increase of snus use has been among women, rising from 4% in 2007 to 14% in 2025.

"While the health effects of cigarette smoking are well known, we know far less about snus and the new nicotine products," the CAN report said.

"Studies that have shown that vaping can, among other things, increase the risk of certain lung diseases. Even less is known about white snus, but there is information indicating that the nicotine content may be higher in white snus than in corresponding tobacco products," it added.

Nicotine is highly addictive, the report recalled.

White snus was launched on the Swedish market in 2016.

CAN cited sales data showing a 180% rise in white snus sales from 2021 to 2024, while vape liquids skyrocketed by 640% during the same period.

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