Sweden is on track to become the first country in Europe to achieve smoke-free status, defined as having fewer than 5% of the adult population smoking. Behind this milestone is a powerful shift in consumer behavior—particularly among women—driven by the rising popularity of oral nicotine pouches.
A recent press release from Smoke-Free Sweden highlights how these discreet, tobacco-free products are helping women abandon combustible cigarettes and reduce their risk of tobacco-related disease.
Women Are Leading Sweden’s Shift Away from Smoking
In 2005, nearly 1 in 5 Swedish women (19%) smoked. By 2022, that figure dropped to just 7%—a remarkable public health turnaround. Over the same period, nicotine pouch use among women surged, with more than 13% now using pouches as their preferred nicotine source.
This trend is not coincidental. According to the Power in a Pouch report, nicotine pouches appeal to women because they:
- Are discreet and odorless
- Offer a cleaner, smoke-free alternative
- Come in a variety of flavors and strengths
- Allow users to manage nicotine intake without stigma or exposure to combustion
Women interviewed in the report emphasized that pouches fit more easily into daily life, especially in social or professional environments where smoking is discouraged or prohibited.
A Modern, Science-Backed Harm Reduction Tool
Nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco leaf or produce smoke. This makes them a drastically lower-risk alternative to traditional cigarettes, which are known to cause over 8 million deaths globally each year due to combustion-related toxins.
Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians have consistently affirmed that the majority of smoking-related harm comes from burning tobacco—not from nicotine itself. Pouches provide nicotine without the tar, carbon monoxide, and thousands of chemicals generated through combustion.
Sweden’s case provides compelling, real-world evidence that when adults have access to effective, appealing alternatives, smoking rates can decline rapidly—and voluntarily.
Relevance for the EU and Beyond
While Sweden’s success with nicotine pouches is clear, the broader European Union is moving toward stricter regulation, including potential flavor bans and marketing restrictions on nicotine pouches. Ironically, these policies risk undermining the very tools that have helped Sweden achieve historically low smoking rates.
Women in particular could be disproportionately affected. Removing flavored or accessible pouch options from the market may push consumers back toward cigarettes or ineffective cessation methods.
Policy must follow science—not fear. Sweden’s trajectory demonstrates that consumer-led harm reduction can deliver life-saving results, especially when diverse adult populations are supported in finding alternatives that work for them.
Why This Matters for Policymakers
Sweden’s approach shows that it is possible to balance nicotine regulation with harm reduction. The country did not ban smoking. Instead, it created an environment where safer alternatives—like snus and now nicotine pouches—were:
- Legally available
- Culturally accepted
- Supported by real-world results
This strategy has yielded the lowest tobacco-related mortality rates in Europe and a pathway to a smoke-free future without prohibition.
As EU institutions and global regulators debate how to treat modern nicotine products, Sweden’s example should be central to the conversation. The data speaks for itself: empowering consumers—especially women—with safer options can shift public health outcomes in the right direction.
