Sweden lost match to France but remain world champions in cutting smoking

France won 3-0 on the pitch on Tuesday night, but the Swedes can still celebrate today as champions in the contest to cut smoking and save lives.

Sweden’s daily smoking rate has fallen to just 5.3%, the lowest in the European Union and close to the official smoke-free target of below 5%. France, by contrast, still records daily smoking of 17.4%, with more than 15 million adults continuing to smoke.

International health experts say the World Cup defeat should not obscure Sweden’s global leadership in public health, where it has given the world a winning gameplan for becoming smoke-free.

Smoke Free Sweden leader Dr Delon Human said: “Sweden lost on the football field, but it remains a true champion in the fight against smoking. In that arena, it has unbeatable tactics that the French should be trying to emulate.

“The ultimate goal is a smoke-free future in which millions of lives are saved from the disease and death caused by cigarettes and Sweden is a clear winner in that field.”

Sweden’s success has come from combining traditional tobacco controls with access to safer smoke-free alternatives such as snus, vapes and nicotine pouches. That substitution strategy has helped cut smoking by 54% since 2012.

The results are visible in health outcomes. Sweden now has male lung cancer mortality 61% below the EU average and overall cancer mortality 34% lower than the European average.

France star Michael Olise, who was in fine form on Tuesday night, had earlier caused a stir when he was photographed with nicotine pouches during the tournament. Under France’s new rules, oral nicotine products such as pouches are now banned, with penalties that can include heavy fines and even prison sentences.

Dr Human added: “The irony is hard to miss. France are tipped to win the World Cup with players and consumers showing interest in smoke-free alternatives, while national policy is taking those options away.

“Every winning team needs a gameplan. Sweden’s was to help smokers switch away from burning tobacco instead of leaving them trapped with cigarettes.

“That is the playbook the world should follow: give adult smokers safer substitutes, regulate them responsibly and smoking falls.”

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