Nicotine pouch ban will drive up France’s ‘deplorable’ smoking rate
STOCKHOLM, Friday 1st November– A ban on nicotine pouches in France will drive up the country’s deplorable smoking rates and put millions more lives at risk, according to international health experts.
Smoke Free Sweden, which is advocating for evidence-based harm reduction strategies, says the prohibition proposed by Health Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq is a deadly misstep in the fight against smoking-related disease, which kills more than 50,000 people in France annually.
Dr. Delon Human, leader of Smoke Free Sweden, said: “Nicotine pouches have played a critical role in reducing smoking rates and have helped Sweden reach the lowest smoking prevalence in Europe.
“France’s smoking rate is more than five times as high. Now this ban risks undermining public health further by pushing people who use nicotine pouches back to cigarettes, which are significantly more harmful.
“To reduce its deplorable smoking rate, France should follow Sweden and give people alternatives, like nicotine pouches, that significantly reduce the risks associated with smoking.”
While France has struggled to lower its smoking rate, which remains among the highest in Europe at 27%, Sweden’s rate is about to drop below 5%, the official benchmark for smoke free status. Already, just 3% of Swedes aged between 16-29 years smoke compared to 29% of other Europeans aged 15-24 years.
“Sweden’s focus on accessible, lower-risk alternatives has transformed public health outcomes, moving the country toward becoming the first smoke free nation in Europe,” Dr. Human said.
“If reducing harm and saving lives is the goal, banning low-risk nicotine options is not the solution.”
ENDS
About Smoke Free Sweden
Smoke Free Sweden is a campaign which encourages other countries to follow the Swedish model when it comes to Tobacco Harm Reduction. Sweden is about to become the first ‘smoke free’ European country, with a smoking rate of below 5 percent. This remarkable achievement can be attributed to Sweden’s open attitude towards alternative products.
For more information on Sweden’s successful approach to becoming a smoke free nation, please visit www.smokefreesweden.org.
Contact
Smoke Free Sweden
info@smokefreesweden.org