During a recent debate in the Swedish Parliament, Sweden’s Minister for Public Health Jakob Forssmed, emphasized the benefits of using snus as a safer alternative to cigarettes. Highlighting the significant health hazards associated with cigarettes when compared to snus, Minister Forssmed underlined the importance of setting taxes that reflect the different risk levels of the products.
The debate arose when a member of the Sweden Democrats inquired about the government’s plans to ensure the continued sale of white tobacco-free nicotine pouches on the internal market. Local advocacy group Pouch Patrol, commended Minister Forssmed for his courage and commitment to providing European smokers with safer alternatives. The group hopes that the European Commission will consider Sweden’s stance when revising the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).
During the debate, Minister Forssmed underscored the need to protect the health of children and young people from the negative effects of nicotine. He suggested effective measures such as setting an age limit on sales, banning proxy sales, and prohibiting nicotine use during school hours.
The EU should take note of Sweden’s success
Pouch Patrol encourages all EU ministers for Public Health to heed Minister Forssmed’s arguments and follow Sweden’s example. Ironically, while the WHO openly disapproves of Sweden’s endorsement of snus for smoking cessation, the group’s own definition of smoke-free is one that Sweden is the first country to reach.
In fact, in response to a recent survey from Open Evidence on the national implementation of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), the Swedish Government Offices underlined the importance of Sweden being allowed to sell snus. Minister Forssmed pointed out that a total ban on snus would impede freedom of movement within the EU.
Minister Forssmed’s advocacy for snus as a harm reduction tool aligns with efforts to provide smokers with alternatives that are less detrimental to health. The debate reflects a broader conversation around harm reduction and safer nicotine products, with potential implications for future regulatory decisions within the EU.
The WHO promotes harm reduction, but not when it comes to smoking
In line with this argument, a 2022 GSTHR report urged lawmakers to include safer nicotine products in smoking cessation plans. The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2022: The Right Side of History report documented the search for safer ways to use nicotine, and charted the history of tobacco harm reduction (THR).
Detailing the history of THR to date, the report considered ways in which THR strategies could speed up the process of ending smoke-related morbidity and mortality. The Right Side of History went on to explain how the past two decades have witnessed a substantial disruption to patterns of tobacco use, public health narratives, the work of tobacco control institutions and traditional tobacco industry interests, due to the emergence of science-backed safer nicotine products, such as vapes and snus.
The Right Side of History emphasized that to maximize public health benefits and guarantee inclusivity, individuals who smoke should be entitled to access lower-risk products, established as highly effective cessation tools. Despite the explicit inclusion of harm reduction as a princple in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, its implementation has been completely rejected with regards to smoking. Given recent advancements in nicotine consumption and recognizing the fundamental human right to health, harm reduction can and should now be integrated into both international and national tobacco control initiatives.