Tobacco use in Sweden
- Surveys of tobacco consumption in Europe show that the situation in Sweden is unique.
- Swedes currently smoke the least in Europe, and they use Swedish snus.
- Snus is used as a method to quit smoking.
How much smoking is done in Sweden compared with other countries?
Smoking is considerably less widespread among Swedish adults than in most other EU countries. In 2007, 14 percent of adult Swedes smoked, while smoking in the remaining EU countries varied between 21 and 44 percent (WHO 2008 and national authorities). There could be several other contributing factors to this difference, but snus is a unique phenomenon in Sweden.
Is tobacco consumption gender specific?
Yes, adult men smoke less than adult women in Sweden. On the other hand, snus consumption is very common among Swedish men but quite unusual among women. In 2007, 12 percent of the male population smoked on a daily basis compared with 19 percent that consumed snus. Among Swedish women, 16 percent smoked on a daily basis, while 4 percent used snus. (FHI 2007).
Has snus contributed to the decrease in smoking in Sweden in recent decades?
In a status report on public health, the Swedish Board of Health and Welfare states: “However, the question is what advice should be given to those who cannot quit smoking by other means. Should they switch to snus? By using the panel data from Statistics Sweden’s surveys concerning living conditions in which the same people were interviewed in 1988-1989 as in 1996-1997, we have shown that for each person who switched from snus to smoking, approximately four persons switched from smoking to snus. Obviously, many have used snus as a method for quitting smoking.”
What tobacco habits do young Swedes have?
Among young men between 16-29 years, only 9 percent smoke on a daily basis and among those in the 30-44 age group, only 10 percent smoke. This is record low and may be compared with around 20-40 percent daily smokers in the 15-24 age group in Europe. However, it should be added that slightly more than 20 percent of Swedish men in the 16-44 age group use snus on a daily basis.
Even among women, younger Swedes smoke less than older ones. In the 16-29 age group, 14 percent smoke on a daily basis and in the 30 – 44 age group the figure is 13 percent, which can be compared with 22 percent daily smokers among women aged 45 – 64. Of the youngest women, aged 16 – 29 years, 5 percent used snus on a daily basis, while the figure for the 30 – 64 age group was 4 percent.
Among young European women, aged 15-24 years, smoking habits vary strongly; the lowest proportion is in Romania with 9 percent daily smokers and the highest in Austria, with 37 percent.
National statistic authorities