A new report from global health advocacy group Smoke Free Sweden compares the prohibitive tobacco control policies of France with the Swedes’ more regulatory approach. It highlights how Sweden’s embrace of nicotine alternatives, such as vapes and snus, has resulted in the lowest smoking rates in Europe.
A quarter of French adults still smoke
With the number of adult smokers in Sweden having dipped below five per cent, it has officially been declared “smoke free” by the World Health Organisation. Meanwhile in France, a massive 25 per cent of adults still smoke.
In February, France became the second European Union nation after Belgium to ban disposable vapes. It also plans to outlaw nicotine pouches and increase tax on e-liquids.
The latest report, unveiled by Smoke Free Sweden, says:
“While Sweden is achieving world-leading results by embracing harm reduction and safer smoke-free alternatives, France is imposing regulations that could undermine the potential of these life-saving innovations.”
The key findings of the report include:
- France’s smoking rate (27 per cent) is five times higher than Sweden’s (5.3 per cent at the time of the research and now 4.5 per cent)
- Sweden has reduced its smoking rate by 54 per cent since 2012, while France has seen a mere one percentage point reduction over the same period
- Sweden’s cancer incidence is 41 per cent lower than the European average, with corresponding 38 per cent lower cancer deaths
- Sweden formally adopted tobacco harm reduction as national policy in December 2024, focusing on “reducing medical and social harm caused by tobacco and nicotine products” rather than simply reducing consumption
- France continues to implement restrictive policies on alternatives to smoking, recently announcing plans to ban nicotine pouches entirely
Dr. Delon Human, global health advocate and report author, said:
“This report provides undeniable evidence that harm reduction strategies work. Sweden’s success comes from embracing safer smoke-free alternatives, making them accessible, affordable and socially acceptable for adults, while France’s prohibitionist approach has yielded minimal results.
“While Sweden stands as a beacon of success, France’s restrictive policies are preventing smokers from switching to less harmful alternatives. Without a shift in strategy, millions of French smokers will continue to face the devastating health consequences of combustible tobacco.”
France unlikely to be ‘smoke free’ before 2100
At the current pace of decline, the report warns that France is unlikely to reach its smoke-free target before 2100. “Instead of prioritising access to safer alternatives that could help adult smokers quit, French policymakers may limit the availability of these potentially life-saving products,” it says.
Before moving forward with these measures, they could benefit from studying how the Swedes have virtually eradicated smoking.”
The report calls on French policymakers to reconsider their approach and adopt key elements of Sweden’s model, including:
- Recognising harm reduction as a legitimate public health strategy
- Ensuring the availability and affordability of safer nicotine alternatives
- Implementing proportionate taxation that incentivises smokers to switch
- Educating the public on the relative risks of different nicotine products
Dr. Human said: “If France continues on its current path, it risks falling further behind in the global fight against smoking. Conversely, adopting a harm reduction strategy similar to Sweden’s would accelerate progress toward a smoke-free future.”
