With the lowest smoking rate in the European Union (EU) at 5.8%, Sweden has seen the number of smokers steadily decrease over the last few decades thanks to the popularity of smoke-free technology.
Public health data shows between 1976 and 2002, Swedish smoking rates fell from 40% to just 15% among men, and from 34% to 20% amongst women.
As a result of the country's push to present smokers with smoke-free alternatives like snus, Sweden’s progress puts it less than 1% away from achieving a “smoke-free” status, which means that 5% or less of the country’s population smokes.
These figures indicate that when backed by science and made to a high standard, smoke-free alternatives can help individuals who would otherwise continue smoking, make a better choice for their health.